The Creed
by FeudalPriestess98
Summary: Inuyasha was never meant to fall in love. It was etched into his brain like a hot iron. So why now? And how did it lead to this? After all, the girl was just an assignment.
1. The Assignment

So let me just start off by saying . . . I have no idea where this idea came from or why it exists. All I can say is that I was playing Assassin's Creed the other day and here it is! I don't know exactly how long this fanfic will be; it could be long or it could be short. Either way, I have a plan. Please, if you have any questions about anything in this story that I did not clarify, feel free to ask! Read and review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Assassin's Creed. Just the idea on how I'm mashing them together, sort of.

* * *

The creed told me three things about my life:

1\. Stay your blade from the flesh of the innocent.

2\. Always hide in plain sight; never deceive for a mission.

3\. Never compromise the Kyōdai ai.

Those were only the three main tenants of the people I worked for. There were, of course, the unspoken rules of the Kyōdai ai into which I was initiated into. Ones like: don't steal from people who have less than you, and work for all that you have. The main one, the one I never had any problem following before, was to never ever, ever, _ever_ fall in love. It compromised missions, your thoughts about the Kyōdai ai, hell, and your whole lifestyle. I had fallen in love before I joined the group of assassins; it never hindered me once I was initiated. It wasn't hard to move on from the bitch that left you once she found out that you were giving away all of your inheritance to your older brother so you could practically become a eunuch, without having to lose your balls. Thank Kami that was one thing the Kyōdai ai did not take from you.

But that was before.

Before I received an assignment to protect a priestess that was supposedly important to the Kyōdai ai's agenda for peace and to alienate our enemies. The task was given to me because I was one of the highest ranking assassins under our Master. There had been tales and rumors spread of this priestess about our temple. (If that's what you would call our home. Quite frankly, it was the least religious or forgiving place I had ever known.) I was picked for the assignment because I was one of our highest ranking assassins, with a special talent for killing people, apparently.

The day I was to leave, I confided in my friend, Miroku, a monk that performed any sort of religious ritual or blessing for those here who liked that sort of thing before they were sent off for assignments, to inform me of some of these rumors so I might have an idea as to what I was being thrown in to.

For once, the perverted bastard, who was more focused on chasing ass, was actually useful to me. "She is supposedly very powerful," he told me over my last meal before I was to leave. "It has been said that she trained under a high priest in her family's temple. And . . . there's another thing. But this is simply rumor. I don't know if it is true or not."

"Well?" I snapped impatiently in between devouring morsels of my food. "Out with it. I don't have time for you to pussyfoot around."

"She _supposedly_ ," he stressed the word, "has the Jewel of Four Souls."

And there it was. Was this why she needed protection? The Jewel attracted demons, thieves, and murderers. A girl with no training would not be able to defend herself, no matter her spiritual training. If her emotions got the best of her, she could not only hurt herself, but everyone around her, friend or foe. If she really did have the Jewel, I would not be surprised if she had been attacked already, and that's why her temple asked for our help to protect her. She who holds the most powerful object on Earth.

She could kill us all.

"Keh," I scoffed. "She's probably some ugly wench, anyway. But if she really does have the Jewel, it wont be that much of a waste of my time."

* * *

I arrived at the High Temple after a two day ride. I could have ran just fine, and made it here in half in the time, but the Kyōdai ai insisted that a half-demon running through the streets and wood trails would be too noticeable, which would betray our second tenant: hide in plain sight. When I stepped out of the carriage, I was grateful to stretch my legs after hours of sitting in a confined space such as that. I couldn't stand being inside enclosed spaces; I preferred to run freely with the pads of my feet pushing along the dirt and grass, feeling every stone slice into the bottom of my feet to form more calluses. The ride here just made this whole assignment that much shittier.

A priest of some sort approached me as I ascended the towering steps. He bowed to me as I came closer.

"Welcome, Brother Taisho." Why do I get the feeling they call everyone _brother_ around here? That's going to get old quickly. "We have been expecting your arrival. The High Priest apologizes for not welcoming you personally but-"

"Yeah, he has to keep his identity secret from the public, I know," I huffed. "Can we just get this damn meeting over with so I can get some fucking food? Thanks."

The priest blushed at my use of colorful language but nodded nonetheless and began to lead me to the Priestess.

Well. No one ever called me delicate.

As we walked through winding halls and climbed many staircases, I observed my surroundings adequately, the way my training had seared itself into my mind. There wasn't much to it; mainly lots of crosses and draperies and stairs. I also noticed that everyone here wore black and covered every inch of their skin, except their head. Most of the men's heads were shaved as well. I was the only one with hair; my silver tresses and dog ears stuck out like a sore thumb. I also wore my white cloak over my red haori and Tetsusaiga, which made me stick out even more. This really did not give me confidence about having to protect some ugly wench for Kami knows how long.

"Here we are," the priest announced as we stood outside a wooden door. "The Priestess is waiting for you. The High Priest says for you to meet first then she will go over her schedule with you so you know what to expect day-to-day."

I nodded but all I could think was, G _reat. Just what I've always wanted._

The priest bowed to me once again. "I will leave you two alone to get acquainted with each other."

I followed the man with my eyes as he strolled away from the door, his arms folded religiously in front of him. I had never been devote in my life; sure, I believed in our gods, but I wasn't particularly orthodox about it. Way too much judgement. I just accept that people are shitheads and move on.

Figuring it was the civil thing to do instead of just strolling in, I rapped three times on the door for good measure. My right ear twitched when a reply floated through the door, allowing me to enter. I opened the door, the wooden object groaning in protest under my hand.

You know, I don't remember a lot of things. I don't remember the first man I ever killed. I barely remember my parent's faces now that they have been gone for so long. Half the time I don't remember the shit Miroku says to me everyday. But I will _never_ forget this moment in my life, for as long as I live.

When I opened the door, it was no ugly wench standing at the window. It was a beautiful, young woman with dark, flowing hair that the light breeze was pushing the strands away from her face so I could gaze upon how the sun's rays make her pale skin illuminate. The woman known as Priestess was dressed in red and white traditional priestess garb that hugged her curves. I was ashamed of it at the moment (but not so much now), but as she leaned over the windowsill while leaning on her forearms, my eyes traced her pale, delicious neck to the slight, deep cleavage I could make out from her side profile.

The rigidness of my body was instantaneous when I took in her full curves and her raw beauty. My nose was immediately filled with her sweet scent and it practically made my mouth water. If I was any more animalistic, I was pretty sure I would have started growling.

She turned her gaze to me, and I was stunned by how clear-blue her eyes were, with a light smile on her full lips. "You must be Inuyasha." An instant blush coated her cheeks, as if she had done something foolish. "Or do you prefer Mr. Taisho or something else . . .?"

I swallowed thickly so my voice would be clear. She was just so _goddamn beautiful._ "Inuyasha is fine, Priestess."

She opened her mouth as if to say something but closed it quickly. Her smile faltered for a fraction of a second before returning to normal. I stored this action away to contemplate for later.

"It's so nice to finally meet you, Inuyasha. I'm sorry to inconvenience you like this for my benefit."

I almost laughed out loud; the wench was actually apologizing to _me_ for needing protection? How ridiculous. I let a smirk grace my lips. "Don't worry about it, Priestess. It would be anyone's honor to serve for you," I said politely.

"Anyone's but yours?' she countered.

That made me steel my words and stammer a bit. How do you explain to someone that you were volun _told_ for this and didn't really want to be assigned to a protection detail assignment because it's boring as hell?

"I . . . uh . . ."

The Priestess giggled and her smile widened. "If there is one thing I will ask of you, Inuyasha, it's that we be blunt with each other. Neither of us know how long you will be here with me but we may as well assume the worst. So I would prefer that we are, from the start, open. I have no time for lies."

"Uh . . . okay?" I replied in confusion. That was . . . new. Never before had I had a _woman_ tell me to be blunt with her. Usually if you tell them that, yes, your ass does look fat in that kimono, they yell at you for being honest.

Or maybe I was too cruel with that one woman when she asked for my opinion?

. . . Nah.

The raven-haired woman kept the wide smile on her face. "Good," she said. "Now shall I tell you my schedule?"

I nodded my consent, giving her the go-ahead.

"I awaken every day with the sun and I am usually able to wake myself up. After that, I go down the dining hall and have breakfast, which is where you will meet me. Then, I spend the rest of my day aiding the people of the surrounding village, sometimes going farther if someone's plight has reached our temple, and also going through a daily cleansing in the early evening. I am able to spend the rest of the night how I choose. Do you have all that?"

"Food, good deeds, cleansing of dirty thoughts, free time, got it. I can follow all that pretty easily as long as I'm not expected to pray with you."

She let out a laugh. It was a free, unhurried sound; it was suddenly one of my favorite things about her. "You must be hungry from your long trip. Would you like to go get dinner with me?"

I nodded. I had to admit I was pretty hungry since I hadn't eaten since I left the placed I'd called home for years. I also had to admit that I might have stared at the woman's ass for a moment longer than I should have as she walked out the door.

I could already tell that my time with the Kyōdai ai was drawing shorter by every moment I was with this woman.

* * *

Kyōdai ai=Brotherhood (Note that this is a translation off of Google translate. If this is incorrect, blame it not me, haha.)  
Thanks for reading! Leave a review!


	2. The Life I Live

So chapter 2 is up already! I know I got it up very quickly, but I have sooooo much work this week that I'm hardly going to have time to write, so this will hold me over for a few days! I really enjoyed writing this chapter; you get to see more into Kagome and Inuyasha and I really love that. I'm trying to keep you guys guessing, though, and I hope it's working. Read and review! As usual, translations are down at the bottom of the page as needed.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Assassin's Creed.

* * *

It was a warm spring day as the Priestess and I made our way back to the temple from the neighboring village. It had been about three weeks since I arrived here to protect the young woman. It really was the _same damn thing every single fucking day_ here. Honestly, I don't see how the wench made it through without losing her goddamned mind. It was just like she said: she woke up and had the same breakfast every day, which mainly consisted of sweet fruits and Tomogoyaki. Sometimes, I noticed she liked to mix it up with miso soup instead of the fruit. Even that was rare, though.

After that, a young priest by the name of Hobo (or was it Hojo?), who blushed every time he was around the Priestess, informed her of the duties she would perform in a village that day. Sometimes Hobo or another priest or priestess would accompany her, sometimes it was just me and her, which I preferred so I wouldn't have to listen to the incessant babble of Hobo.

She would happily spend hours in the village, talking with the injured and down-trodden, observing some items from the market that caught her eyes, and giving hope to the people there that everything would be okay, even though there didn't seem to be any imminent danger.

This made me wonder if she knew something I didn't.

Though for all the times I saw her stop and gaze at an item someone was selling in the market, she never bought anything she seemed to like. Sometimes I caught her staring wistfully at an item for a moment before smiling at the seller and moving on. It was odd, to say the least.

When we returned to the High Temple, she would always report to the High Priest for her cleansing. I was never allowed into the room. She would smile at me and instruct for me to wait for her outside the door before disappearing through the entrance, the door sealing her away from my sight. While the cleansing was in process, I always plastered my ears to my crown so I would not hear what was going on inside. It seemed . . . too private. If I needed to know, they would let me in.

And today was no different. We moved silently through the halls, as we always did, on the way to the room in which she was cleansed. The door to the room was over 200 feet tall and elaborately decorated with gold swirls that meant nothing to me but obviously did to them. I always caught this scent whenever I stood outside the door; it was fresh and strong but it smelled something akin to a sake, though I knew it wasn't alcohol. The aura emanating from inside always made my hair stand on end as well.

I stopped outside the door and turned my golden gaze to the woman beside me. "Sure you'll be okay in there?" I asked her this every time she was to go inside.

She smiled brightly. "Of course I will. The High Priest would do nothing to hurt me. Wait for me. I'll only be a moment." The Priestess went inside.

Sighing heavily, I stretched my muscles; I could feel them bunching up beneath my skin and the popping signaled that they were releasing the pressure from the day's events. Relaxing, I rested my back against the wall beside the door with my arms and legs crossed while I shut off my senses for a few moments.

* * *

The freezing, bitter cleansing water hit my body like knives that had been welcoming me since I was a young girl. I wondered why I could still feel the cold water and wince every time. Perhaps a life like this was something that you never fully grew accustomed to. I bit my lip hard to keep from whimpering; if there was one thing the High Priest did not tolerate, it was weakness in the face of duty.

And this was my duty. I had to face it with honor and strength.

Before my cleansing begins, I always change from my traditional priestess garb to a plain white ceremonial yukata that was given to me. It did nothing to shield me from the bite of the water.

Above where I was crouched in the ceremonial pool, the High Priest and two others stood above me. While the two other priests poured water over me from gourds, the High Priests chanted in an ancient language I did not understand and, really, had never tried to decipher. All I knew is that it purified me of my daily sins that may have transpired, and to keep me on the pure path so that I may continue to be the protector the Jewel. Our alliance with the Kyōdai ai called for my efforts to keep the Jewel pure and whole so that their goal for peace may be realized.

The elder smiled at me kindly in reassurance when I glanced upwards, letting me know I was doing well. "Do ye promise to uphold the beliefs of this temple?" the High Priest asked as they continued to pour water and the chanting was over.

"I do," I replied without hesitation.

"Do ye promise to fulfill ye's duties with honor and repute so that ye may serve the people of Japan to the best of ye's ability?"

"I do."

"Do ye promise to let go of all earthly pleasures in order to remain whole in ye's ability to do what must be done?"

"I do."

"Do ye promise to sacrifice yourself in any way possible, even if that means death, to protect the Jewel?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat. Suddenly, the last promise I was to make was _extremely_ difficult to reply to. "I do."

"Stand now, Kagome, and rise as a new woman," the High Priest instructed.

I did as I was told. It took all of my willpower to not shiver from the cold; that would be displaying weakness.

The two priests bowed to me as I turned to face them. I gave them a light smile in return as they disappeared behind the wall with the gourds. I stood in front of the High Priest, water dripping from my long hair and continuing to soak my yukata.

"Ye did well today, Kagome. Ye are doing beautifully in ye's duties of helping the villagers and the Jewel still remains pure because of ye's good heart. Has the half-demon seen the Jewel? Does he know where it is?"

I shook my head. "No, High Priest. The location still remains a secret; only you and I know where it is. But, High Priest . . . I don't think Inuyasha is a danger to the Jewel. I have sensed his aura, and while he holds some darkness within him, it holds no intention of endangering me or the Jewel. I strongly believe he is here solely because the Kyōda ai told him to come. Inuyasha has been protecting me diligently."

The High Priest nodded in acknowledgment. "I believe the same but in these times, one cannot be too careful. Keep ye's guard up, child. This time of evil and impurity will be drawing to a close before long." The elder bowed to the young woman. "I will see ye on the morrow, Kagome."

I bowed back in respect and watched as the High Priest returned to the Sacred Room.

As I changed behind the cloth covering into my priestess garb, I thought about Inuyasha. Over the past three weeks, I had grown accustomed to him being a constant shadow over my shoulder. But it wasn't an annoying shadow. No, Inuyasha was very respectful of my space and privacy. He was always lingered just far enough back to where he could observe everything around me but still give me room to do my work. We didn't speak to each other much, and if we did, it was about my agenda for the day, but sometimes when I would look up from reading or helping a villager, I would catch him just gazing at me. His sun-burnt eyes would hold this look of respect and awe. It always made a heat rise to my cheeks and a light flutter in the pit of my stomach. It was strange but I almost considered Inuyasha a friend. Even though I knew virtually nothing about the man.

When I saw Inuyasha for the first time in my room, it took all I had within me to not stare openly at the half-demon. His silver reached his waist; it look so soft and shiny I wanted to simply run the strands through my fingers. His golden eyes burned into her skin, as if he was looking at me naked. The thought made me tingle in sinful pleasure. Tan skin, perfect features, rippling muscles I could distinguish even through his sleeves. And his puppy ears were so cute they made me want to squeal like a little kid!

I finished dressing, tying the pieces of cloth together with the flimsy string. It was time for me to banish all thoughts of Inuyasha that would lead to dangerous places. I strode towards the door that would lead out of the Cleansing Room and out into the life that was chosen for me; the life I ive. I never resented my life here at the temple; I enjoyed helping out the villagers and even sometimes the world beyond. However, during the time when I was in the village market, a part of me would yearn to do what the people there were able to do: live freely, able to make their own choices in life, instead of having my life laid over before me.

But as I pushed the heavy door open, I dropped all thoughts that Kagome the woman held, and returned the mask of Priestess to my life.

* * *

I started at the sound of the door opening beside me. I lazily opened my eyes to see the Priestess's smiling face. Every time I saw that smile, it made me want to return one of my own, but I kept the bored expression that had become a permanent fixture on my countenance. This did not discourage her.

"How did it go?" I asked with a tone of indifference.

"It went well, thank you. Though I'm ready for dinner now. Are you hungry? I think they're serving miso soup today."

"I'm fucking starving."

She let out a small laugh as she became to lead them to the dining hall. She had grown accustomed to his use of language. "You really shouldn't use curse words, you know."

"Keh." I waved her off. "Sorry, Priestess, but I don't have the patience to be kind and pure like you are."

"Patience . . . yes," she whispered; it almost sounded sad. "Isn't being kind the right thing to do?"

"Yeah, it's the _right_ thing," I said, "but it isn't the _fun_ thing."

"So being mean is your idea of fun?"

"My idea of fun is a mission that's actually worth my time and effort."

The Priestess stopped walking suddenly. I noticed that we had just arrived at the dining area. When I look at her questioningly, she was already staring at me. Her blue eyes shone with hurt. Did I . . . hurt her feelings somehow? And was I actually giving a shit if I did?

"So, you think that this mission isn't worth your time?" the Priestess challenged.

"I never said-"

"No," she spat, "but you insinuated it."

"Look, Priestess, I-"

But she cut me off again! She stomped ahead of me into the dining hall to receive her food. I didn't move forward to follow her; all I could do was stare after her. For the first time since my mother, someone had actually made me feel . . . bad. The look in her eyes haunted me; the raw emotion I saw there shocked me like a bolt of lightning. I did not want to hurt this woman. She had done nothing to spur my anger. But my tongue often got away from me. For fifty years now, I had been around no other people than my fellow assassins in the Kyōdai ai. And while the Priestess did want us to be honest with each other, I didn't exactly tell her the truth.

Even though this assignment was nothing but a protection detail, I did not feel as if it were a waste of my time. Because of her, I was being shown the kinder side of life. And while I did miss getting to kill a lousy bastard every day, I would be lying if I said that the peace of the Priestess's life brought did not comfort me in some way. I had no right to call her, essentially, a waste of time. That's means I would have to apologize.

Fucking hell. If there was anything I was bad at, it was apologizing.

* * *

The sun had gone down hours ago. I was escorting the Priestess back to her room after she was ready to leave the library. Tonight, while she read her book, she ordered me to stand outside the door. I wasn't able to look at her or talk to her; I could only hear her movements and smell her sweet scent wafting through the door. And on top of all not being all to see her, I really did have to stand for the whole time she stayed in the library, which was well over three hours. Sometimes, I would hear a giggle come from her, like she was trying to hold back a laugh.

Now, a small smirk marred her pink, full lips. I think she was satisfied herself for the punishment she gave me for insulting her. I found it cute that she thought that was a punishment; she would feint if she ever saw the Kyōdai ai's idea of a punishment. The standing did not bother me. The training I had to go through to become an assassin was a hell of a lot worse than that. My body was used to hard exertions. It was just the life I had chosen to live.

Before I realized it, we were standing outside her door and she was beginning to push it open.

Looking back, I don't know why I did what it did. It only turned bad for me in the end. But before she could disappear inside her room, I grabbed her bare wrist that was not hidden by her white sleeve. I desperately tried to ignore the little gasp of surprise that escape her mouth, along with how goddamn soft her skin was. It made me want to feel _more_. But I couldn't think about that now. I had something important to say.

"I'm sorry!" I blurted at her a bit louder than I intended to. I lowered my ears to my head from the outburst and from shame.

Her azure gaze darted up to my ears quickly before shooting back down to rest on my face. A smile widened across her lips. I couldn't help but wonder what she saw on my face.

"It's okay, Inuyasha-"

"No, it's not," I insisted while cutting her off like she had done to me earlier. "I shouldn't have said what I said. I didn't mean it the way it came across. I, uh, don't think you're a waste of time?" Fuck, I was so bad at this!

She raised a dark eyebrow. "Was that a question?"

"No, no! I just-fuck!" She giggled at my curse. "Look, you aren't a waste of my time. If you're important to the Kyōdai ai, you're important to me. So, I'm sorry for making you think that."

The Priestess nodded slowly, taking in my clumsy apology. "I forgive you, Inuyasha. Thank you for apologizing. After all, I think making you stand outside the library was punishment enough." She smirked. I liked it when she did that; it was almost challenging me to fight with her so we could make up later-

 _Stop thinking dirty thoughts! This is an assignment, goddammit,_ I berated myself.

Before I could issue a reply, she swooped in and gave me a kiss on the cheek, her lips lingered there for a fraction of a second.

I could do nothing as she retreated into her room, whispered a goodnight farewell, and softly shut the door. All I could was think, _tonight was the first time we touched._ I had grabbed her wrist and she had kissed my cheek.

As I lie awake that night, my room right down the hall from hers, I thought about her soft skin and how I could still feel the tingle of her lips upon my face. Hell, I was so pathetic that when I bathed that night, I didn't bother heating up the water. I soaked and soaked in the freezing liquid until the burning sensation in my stomach was forced to dissipate.

That took a good hour.

And when I was _finally_ able to get some sleep, I dreamt about being able to touch more skin than just that tiny, fragile wrist and kissing more than just her pink, pretty lips. I kissed her _everywhere._

Any man would have to be blind to not see that the Priestess was beautiful; even a pure priest such as Hojo managed to blush in her presence. Luckily, I wasn't a pussy like him, but she _was_ attractive. So, I chalked up my thoughts to simply appreciating a beautiful woman. After all, that was completely natural. Sooner or later, these Miroku-esque thoughts I was having would cease and I would return to normal. After all, I was a grown ass man who had been with a few women over my many years of life; desire was a normal human emotion. The Kyōdai ai never said you couldn't fuck someone whenever you got the urge, but you just couldn't love them, or marry them, or have children with them. It took away you priorities and they didn't want that. However, the Priestess was not allowed to feel those emotions, right? So what's the point in dreaming about a woman you could never have, not even once?

Exactly. There is _no point._

With that in mind, I was determined to start the next day by seeing the Priestess not as a beautiful woman, but as a sacred object that I had no desire to touch. I'm sure that wouldn't be hard . . .

Right?

* * *

Tomogoyaki=a Japanese omelet


	3. Touch

I did it! I managed to post this chapter at the end of the week!Plus, my birthday is today, so yay! So, I'm very excited about this chapter. While it doesn't have much action in it, you get to learn more about our favorite couple, see them interact more, and this chapter leads up to major events! That literally did not exist until two days ago . . . Anyway, some little notes about this chapter:

1\. I don't know when the _Tale of the Bamboo Cutter_ was written, but I threw it in there as a nod to the second movie. So don't complain out timing errors.

2\. There will not always be a Kagome POV. Some chapters might have Kagome's perspective, others may not. It's just the way I'm writing it.

3\. As always, read and review! And please help this story get the attention it deserves. I am very proud of it and am working very hard. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I do not own _Inuyasha_ or _Assassin's Creed_.

* * *

When I awoke the next morning, I began to chant the three main tenants and all the other rules I had come to know over the past fifty years with the Kyodai ai. I told myself that repeating them over and over would keep my actions in check. What disturbed me the most about what transpired between me and the Priestess was that, just by touching her wrist alone, I was able to lose a piece of my shit in under three seconds. No, forget disturbed; it fucking _terrified_ me. I couldn't blame it on the fact I hadn't been with a woman in a while. Despite popular knowledge, demons don't fuck just to fuck; we weren't raging sex machines. Sure, sometimes we got in the mood for some adult activity, but most of the time we didn't sleep with someone unless we actually felt a real connection with them.

Or you were just a whore and want to fuck around but to each his own, I guess.

Anyway, back to my original tangent on which I was making a point. The point is that I loved a woman fifty years ago, Kikyo, and she left me because I abandoned my lavish, privileged life as the son of the Lord of the Western Lands to become an assassin. Obviously, true love didn't exist for her unless you had status and wealth. I thought I loved this woman deeply and truly; honestly, I was prepared to ask my father to marry her. But after she left me, I gave up on ever finding love again. Which worked out just fine since the Kyodai ai frowned upon having their assassins married and popping out kids. I never planned on having those after Kikyo, and the last I heard of her, she died the same year I joined the Kyodai ai.

Through the years, I've only had three or four lovers, to my knowledge. There was that one night where Miroku got me completely wasted, though, and I'm pretty sure I slept with this ogre demon named Yura . . . Kami, I really hope I didn't. She was freaky. Anyway, Miroku would never tell me if I did or not, which leaves me wondering to this day.

But the fact that I felt fire eat away at my belly from barely touching the Priestess really said something to the demon within me. Fighting the raging beast was damn hard for a couple days but with each day that I avoided psychical contact with her, my inner conflict settled from a hazardous tsunami to a trickling river.

Now, I had been stationed with the Priestess for almost two months. I didn't speak to her unless I had to. I wasn't in her presence more than I was needed. I didn't bother trying to stop seeing her completely, though; she was my assignment, after all. I had never failed the Kyodai ai before and I wasn't going to start now just because of a human wench who I barely knew anything about.

 _An assignment,_ I thought, _I can do this._ I leaned lazily against a tree as I let out a deep yawn that made me realize I hadn't slept well again last night. While in my awake mind I was able to view the Priestess as nothing but a decent-looking assignment, my sleeping mind still liked to imagine what she looked like naked and screaming under me.

Beautiful image, huh?

The Priestess was preparing to see a visitor. The visitor arrived at the temple earlier that day, asking to speak with her. This immediately raised my suspicion so I made sure I had Tetsusaiga with me as she received him in what we called the "Great Hall." It was basically a large room with countless traditional Japanese tables with tea always ready to be served and pillows for everyone to sit on. When she arrived, she was dressed in her usual miko garb with sandals on her small, delicate feet. The man, a young, dark-haired specimen, sat waiting for her with a cup of tea in front of that had yet to be touched. He looked like he would be sick at any moment.

The Priestess approached closer to the table, and with every step she took towards him, the tension in his body practically rolled off him. Her calming aura was beginning to spread around the room, making me lessen my grip on my sword.

The raven-haired miko slid off her sandals, even that small act was slow and sensual, and sat down in front of the man with a warm smile. "Hello," she greeted. "May I ask your name?"

The man swallowed nervously before answering. "My name is Kunio, Priestess."

She bowed to him respectfully; he returned the gesture. "It is nice to meet you, Kunio, Please, tell me, what can I do for you?"

"I . . . it's my wife, Priestess. She has fallen ill. The apothecary in our village has no medicine in his store than can cure, even though I told him I was willing to pay anything to make her better! But he said it was impossible; he could do nothing to help. I have heard tales of your powers, Priestess. Your good deeds have stretched even to that of my village. Please, I need you to cure my wife! You are my last hope!" Kunio's hands were bracing the table and he was so close to the Priestess he was almost in her face. His brown eyes were shining over with tears threatening to spill.

The Priestess remained calm, however, even when he got as close as the small table would allow. "Tell me about the symptoms and when they started," she demanded calmly.

"Well," he swallowed thickly, "our village is at a place where a lot of soldiers pass through from war. Sometimes, bodies drop in our fields from where they have died. Two weeks ago, my wife and I and some of the other villagers were cleaning up the dead bodies and their possessions. My wife touched one of the swords in order to move it and cut her hand. In a matter of days after that, she began to complain of pain in the muscles of her jaw and neck. Two days ago, she began to have trouble breathing. That's when I knew I had to come find you and bring you to her."

His breath hitched as he whimpered, "I'm afraid that she will soon . . . my wife . . ." Kunio collapsed back into a sitting position and began to sob.

The Priestess remained silent. She did nothing except reach across the table and cover his hand with her own soothingly. She closed her eyes, seemingly in concentration. I narrowed my eyes when his sobs began to taper off suddenly, unnaturally. Was she pushing more of her soothing aura onto his? It's common that priestesses are able to see auras, it's part of who you are as one, but being able to project your own to affect someone else's emotions? Well, that was just fucking unheard of!

When Kunio's crying stopped, he looked up at the Priestess in confusion. He must have realized she had done something to him.

The Priestess still kept the simple smile on her face. "Of course I will help you, Kunio. It would be my honor to do my upmost to cure your wife. We will begin the preparations to leave immediately."

Kunio began to bow and shower the young woman with expressions of gratitude and grateful tears. She stood silently and requested a young priestess-in-training and an elder priest to escort the sobbing man to the dining hall so that he may eat before we made the journey.

I strode across the room towards her. Realizing my hand was still resting on my sword nervously, I reluctantly withdrew it when I accepted there was no danger. When I came to stand beside her, the Priestess looked up at me with her azure orbs, waiting for me to say something,

"How long will the trip take us, Priestess?" I inquired.

"The High Priest told me that it should be about a two day ride there. But I don't know how long we will actually be at the village. It depends on how bad his wife's condition is and what I can do for her." She looked down, her long eyelashes casting shadows over her cheeks and shielding her eyes from me. "I'm afraid I won't be able to do much for her," she whispered.

This took me aback. The Priestess was usually confident in her spiritual and healing abilities; there was no hesitation in her when we went to the village each day, where she healed wounded men from battle and cured sick children of illnesses. Why was she suddenly afraid of failure now? Surely this was not as daunting a task as when I watched her set a broken rib, helping the bone heal with her power alone.

I didn't like the how small and fragile she looked. I put my large hands on her shoulders, being mindful of my claws, and turned her firmly but gently to face me. Her eyes shot up to meet mine in surprise and I could swear I saw a hot flash of annoyance pass through her face. _Wow . . . if that is what she looks like annoyed, how attractive does she look angry,_ I pondered for a moment before quickly throwing that dangerous thought away.

"Listen to me," I barked. "I have seem you perform miracles in the daily lives of the wounded men who returned in battle. I have seen you bring back a woman from the brink of your death with your knowledge of herbs and your powers. You give the people in this village hope to carry on daily; every time they are around you, they talk of how you are their reason for living and continuing on with their lives!"

I took a deep breath and blushed at how much I was saying. "You . . . you're fucking amazing, okay?"

The Priestess' glorious smile returned to her face, her pink lips spreading wide. "Thank you, Inuyasha. I hope I can live up to your expectations."

I tried not to dwell on it, but I could have sworn that the Priestess hesitated for a moment before shrugging out of my grasp and sliding her sandals back on to go prepare to leave. As I watched her go, all I could think was:

 _I fucking touched her again._

* * *

I sighed happily as I stared out the window of the carriage. I loved days like this; warm and full of light. Spring had been in season for a while now and I was anxious to get to summer!

Inuyasha, however, could not be more displeased. Now that the flowers were officially in bloom and all the plants were beginning to come out of hibernation from the winter cold, Inuyasha could not seem to stop sneezing. With him being a dog demon, he was bound to have a hard time with the weather change. It was pitiful to see him go into a sneezing fit then watch him try to keep his tough-guy persona.

That did not make it any less hilarious, too.

We had been on the road for over a full day now and we were making excellent time. I had all the herbs I could bring in a basket and satchel and any sort of dressing I might would need for her wound. Most likely, the cut got infected from lack of sanitization and now she was suffering because of it. Things like that were easy to cure; so why was the apothecary in Kunio's village not able to cure a simple infection? Something was amiss in this situation. I could feel it.

I could also feel how restless Inuyasha was inside the carriage. This was the first time since he came to my temple that I had been on a days-worth journey with him. He remained his usual silent self. Only speaking to complain about the spring plant life under his breath or make small talk about senseless things with me. His silence didn't bother me much; I had grown used to it over the past two months, plus it gave me to time to read in my books. I was currently reading _The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter_. It was one of my favorite books as a young girl; a young girl who dreamed of growing up to find her purposes in life along with her true love.

Well, that girl did grow up to find her destined purpose in life, but it wasn't one she chose for herself. Funny how life would do that sometimes.

Pulling myself out of my musings, I noticed Inuyasha was having a sneezing fit again. He was fidgety, as well. The confinement of the carriage was beginning to get to him. I could not have us stop completely again so he could stretch his legs or else we would be behind and prolong the travel. But it bothered me to see Inuyasha so distress; what could I do?

Suddenly, I had an idea. Opening the curtain, I called to the driver to stop the carriage. He slowly came to a halt and I could hear the horses snort in protest of the reigns.

Inuyasha gave me a look of confusion, his amber eyes filled with wonder. I simply smirked at him as I motioned for him to follow me outside. I walked to the front of the carriage and craned my head to look at the driver.

"Is there a problem, Priestess?" he fretted. "Are you unwell?"

"No, not at all," I reassured him. "I wanted to inform you to keep on the path with Kunio's carriage. Inuyasha and I will be travelling a different way. You will meet us at the village."

Before the driver could respond, Inuyasha cleared his throat to gain my attention.

He got it. I looked at him with a raised eyebrow, waiting for him to say something while displaying my annoyance.

"Priestess," he said, "may I have a word?"

I nodded. We stepped off to the side of the road.

"What is it?" I asked.

"What the hell are you doing?" he bellowed. "Why are we not going to take the carriage?"

"Because you are getting restless inside there and quite frankly, I'm tired of hearing you complain," I responded bluntly.

"So you just decided to be a control freak and call the shots without asking me first?"

"I'm not being a control freak! I'm being considerate! And last time I checked, I don't need to consult with you!"

"What if something happens in the woods and I can't protect you? I'll be in deep shit!"

"You're a demon! It'll be fine!"

"A _half_ -demon!"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

A pink blush spread across Inuyasha's cheeks as he tried to sputter for an answer. Finally, he settled on, "Nothing. Forget it."

I stared at him for a moment. _Was he ashamed of being a half-demon? But what's so wrong with that?_ I sighed, deciding to let it go.

"Do you want to run or not?" I asked quietly.

The silver-haired man paused before answer, "Yes."

Nodding, I returned to the driver. "Tell Kunio that Inuyasha and I are travelling through the woods and should he need me, to stop the carriages. Inuyasha will hear and return me to you. As I said, just continue along the path."

"Yes, Priestess," the old man replied without hesitation. He drove the horses forward to walk.

Stalking back to Inuyasha, I stood in front of him. My head came to his chin level, I noticed.

He stared back at me in silence.

"Well?" I urged. "Aren't you going to carry me?"

Without saying anything Inuyasha picked me up and slung me over his back. His hands were supporting me under my thighs and my front was plastered to his back.

I tried so hard, I really did. I promise it to the Kamis above. But I couldn't help but noticed the heat from his large, strong hands spreading heat through the lower part of my body, making my stomach turn all tingly. I also noticed how I could feel the rippling muscles of his back through his fire-rat hakama. He had left his stark white Kyodai ai cloak at the temple since I was so hot; I did not blame him and I was enjoying the feel of his body underneath mine.

The first time Inuyasha had touched me, it was the first time a man ever had. A real man, not some priest at the temple. It made heat course through my body and my breath to quicken. After he left that night, I immediately had a bath drawn. Only to notice that when I disrobed, my nipples were slightly puckered and there was a pulsing between my thighs. I felt so ashamed but not for the reason I should have been. I was ashamed because it barely took him touching me to excite me; I was like a young girl just going through adolescence. I was ashamed because of my _inexperience._ Now, I could almost laugh at the thought.

However, the quickness in my breath as Inuyasha supported me, the heat in my belly, and my awareness of his muscles made me realize one thing. And Inuyasha taking off at a sudden speed through the forest was not my reason for hitch in breathing.

 _I craved more of his touch._


	4. Kagome

Welcome back to my story, everyone! So chapter 4 is up, but I won't have much of an opening note today because I'm tired as fuck and really need to sleep. But I will tell you that next chapter, I will have an index of sorts of what each aura color means _in my story_. Please remember that these are what aura colors mean to me and are not definite in any sort of way. But anyway, I'll make a reference of that in the next chapter. The story is getting good, you guys! Read and review!

Side note: I decided to give the temple that Kagome lives at a name. The High Temple. Original, yeah? So in this chapter and past chapters I have edited some parts that refer to Kagome's temple as the High Temple instead of just, "the temple." I like that a lot better.

And thanks to all that have favorited, followed, and reviewed this story! I appreciate it so much!

Disclaimer: I do not _Inuyasha_ or _Assassin's Creed._

* * *

The trees zoomed past us as I dashed through the forest. I could hear the Priestess' breathes become quicker; it made me smirk from the thought of me being the cause of her amazement. Or my abilities, at least. My hands gripped her under her thighs so she wouldn't slip. Perverted or no, it took all I had to not rub my thumbs against her body. A part of me wanted her to feel it through the fabric of her clothing, to soak it in, so I could hear her heartbeat increase and see her flesh flush with blood.

I was really failing at my goal at seeing her as just as assignment.

All dirty thoughts aside, I was glad she let me out of the carriage so I could run. My legs felt so much more limber and my body had lost all tenseness. My ears flicked from side to side as I heard animals moving through the trees and underbrush. This was where I was meant to be. But I also couldn't help but think how this might have gone against the second tenant: hide in plain sight. Running at this speed was highly noticeable; I wasn't able to go too deep into the forest with the Priestess in fear of the other demons that could be lurking there. So, I had to stay in sight of the road, where humans could easily see us. Or was it breaking the tenant? The way I see it, I was just following my assignment of protecting the most important person to the Kyodai ai's goal. She practically _ordered_ me to do this, so if it made her happy, wouldn't the Kyodai ai want me to do this? In my mind, I was just following orders.

Right, that's what I was going to tell myself.

I could hear the Priestess' giggles, but then they turned into full-blown laughter.

"This is amazing!" she shouted over the rushing wind.

I let out a short laugh. "Bet'cha never done anything like this before!" I shouted back.

"No, I haven't!" There was a pause before her next reply, "I've never met anyone like you before!"

"A half-breed?" I asked, expecting the response I've heard all my life.

"No," she said. "Free."

The shocking response caused a lump of air (yes, air. Not pussified tears) to rise to my throat. _Free_? What the hell did that mean? Was the Priestess not free? I was in the employment of the Kyodai ai; if anything, I was under more restriction than she was. The organization of assassins was strict as hell with their rules and tenants.

Or so I thought.

* * *

The village was even smaller than the one the High Temple resided in. There were barely a hundred-fifty people here; our village had a population of five-hundred or so. The region we were in was called Mushashi's Domain. It was known to be pretty peaceful, but even the most tranquil of areas tended to become affected by the war in Japan at some point. The Onin War had left the country devastated and the power in the hands of the daimyo. Everyone was suffering to support themselves. However, as I let my eyes graze over the crowds of people as we strolled through the village, led by Kunio, every person I saw had a pleasant expression on their countenance, like this day was a special or some shit.

It reminded me of my Master back home. Even though he ran an organization of assassins and ordered deaths of war lords and criminals, he always seemed to have a smile on his bug-eyed face. It suddenly hit me that I _missed_ that old geezer somewhat. My Master had practically raised from the time I was a teenager; he had whipped me into shape when I was an insubordinate, smart-ass runt. Let's face it, I was still a smart-ass, but at least I wasn't insubordinate anymore. I respected that man with everything I had in me.

"My wife is right inside." I heard Kunio say this to the Priestess when I decided to tune back into reality.

Assuming this was his home, Kunio lived in a very small hut. It looked like it could only fit him and his wife; he hadn't mentioned any, so I doubted they had kids. Kunio seemed very young and I assume his wife was around the same age, if not younger, than him.

The Priestess simply nodded and followed Kunio inside.

An elderly woman sat next to the younger woman lying on the mat. She immediately rose when we entered.

Kunio rushed over to the old hag. "Has she gotten worse?" He practically attacked her with the question.

"She has not woken since you left." She didn't answer directly. "I have barely been able to feed her or give her water since she won't open her mouth. Haruka only mumbles in her sleep, nothing more."

I only heard a sniff come from Kunio; I could not see his face since his was back to me and the Priestess.

"Thank you, Gina-san," he whispered. The grief-stricken man sunk the floor next to Haruka's motionless form.

The Priestess, still silent, glided over to the two and kneeled down next to Kunio. "Your wife is very beautiful," she said sincerely. I could hear the truth of her words in her voice.

Kunio wiped his nose clumsily with his sleeve. "Thank you," he sniffed. "I always thought she was too beautiful for me but she always said that wasn't true."

 _Well . . . she might have lied_ , I thought dryly. Haruka, even in sleep, was an attractive woman. Her hair was dark brown, and light reflected off the strands, and her skin was tan from working in the fields. Her lips were in a bow-shape and were red as blood. She was certainly pretty, next to plain-looking Kunio.

Not as beautiful as the Priestess but . . .

 _Stop it, Inuyasha!_

The Priestess gave the man a comforting smile and said, "Do you mind if I remove her blanket to inspect her more easily?"

"No, not at all," Kunio replied.

The Priestess folded the white sheet down covering Haruka neatly. At first, her blue eyes simply roamed over her form, like she was seeing something we couldn't. Hell, she probably was. Then, she pulled up Haruka's sleeve on her right arm and lifted her hand so she could inspect it. When she turned it over to have the palm facing up, her brows furrowed.

"You said that your wife's sickness started after she was picking up a bloody sword and cut herself?" the Priestess inquired.

"Yes. That's the hand that was cut."

"I see . . ." she hummed. The cut on her hand was inflamed and swollen, and almost seemed to have some puss ready to flow out of it.

Setting her hand down, the Priestess continued on with her inspection. She checked Haruka's temperature, she was visibly sweating, and even tried to her the sickly woman to move her mouth. She did not.

Finally, the Priestess turned to Kunio. "Haruka has a bacterial infection caused by the uncleanliness of the blade she touched," she began. "It involves fever, sweating, irritability, and stiffness of the jaw. However, I've never seen someone with this infection sleep so . . . soundly."

"S-so can you help her . . .?" Kunio asked hesitantly.

"I can help her, of course. This is just an unusual circumstance. First, I'll apply a balm that should help relax her muscles. Then, I'll give her an herbal mixture that should help with the fever and sweating. I will also have to purify out any infection but that will have to wait until after she has the herbs in her system. Is there any place Inuyasha and I may stay for the night?"

"Oh, yes!" Kunio exclaimed happily, his demeanor brightening up at the thought of his wife getting well.

* * *

I thought he was going to spend a fucking hour thanking us for helping him, but he finally quieted down and was able to show us to the headman of the village so we could be escorted to a hut meant for people passing through that we would be able to stay in for the night.

That night, we feasted stew brought to us from Gina-san. The Priestess sat in the middle of the hut, while I rested on the wall opposite of her with my legs crossed and Tetsusaiga resting against my shoulder.

"It's a good thing we're going to be leaving tomorrow," I grumbled into my bowl. "I thought Kunio was never going to shut the hell up and stop thanking us."

The Priestess laughed at my bluntness. "I'm glad I'm going to be helping Haruka. Though, it does mystify me as to why the apothecary in this village could not help her."

"What do you mean?"

"Well," she drawled, "I just mean that infection from weapons aren't that uncommon in these times. Anyone with a basic knowledge of medicine knows how to treat it, even if they don't have spiritual powers. So, that makes me wonder: is the apothecary that poorly equipped or is there something more at play here?"

I straightened my posture at this. Was the Priestess in danger here? "Wouldn't you have noticed something though?"

"Perhaps . . ." she trailed off. The raven-haired woman set her bowl aside and rose from her sitting position. "There should be a river or something nearby. I'm going to wash off real quick," she announced.

"I don't think that's a good idea . . ." I had no idea how far she had to go to find a water source private enough for her to bathe in. Plus, even in a village as humanly populated as this one, the risk of demons was a sure thing at night.

Sadly, though, the Priestess was already out the door before I could get in edge-wise.

 _Well,_ I thought, _I'm just going to have to follow her._

At the lake, I hung far enough back so the Priestess could have her privacy while soaking (and so she would be unaware of my presence) but close enough to where I could observe the surrounding area. So far, no demons had even come near our location. However, there was an even more terrifying opponent out here: my wandering mind. I was stationed in a tree about one-hundred steps from where the Priestess relaxed in the small lake. My back was against the side of the trunk that was facing away from her and my eyes were wide open to stay alert for any movement.

But the thought of having her so close, yet so far, behind me was causing turmoil in my mind. There she was, resting in a small body of water, _naked_ of all things, I was in a stupid, goddamn tree like some sort of puppy. Now, I had never been a peeping tom, I left that job to Miroku, but right now the temptation was really nagging at the back of my imagination.

She had been in there for about thirty minutes; I had never really understood why women needed to take long baths. Even the women back at the Kyodai ai took up most of the time in the bathing rooms while we men had to wait!

But the fact that she was _in there_ drove me insane. I tried really hard to not imagine the water rippling against her curves, or maybe how she dunked her hair into the water, leaving the glossy tresses to stick to her pale skin. And I certainly did not want to think about her sighs of pleasure as her sore muscles relaxed in the water.

 _Whatever water god looks over that body of water, they sure are getting a damn good show!_ I growled internally.

* * *

I stood on the bank of the lake, ringing out my hair and letting my body air dry. I noted that my hair needed to be cut again; it was growing annoyingly long. As I did so, I thought about Haruka. What I had told Inuyasha in the hut made me wonder if there really _was_ something more at play here. Haruka's symptoms seemed normal to that of tetanus, but her sleeping so soundly weighed on my mind. It was so _abnormal_. Usually I wouldn't get so worked up over a little bit of uncommonness, but something made my instincts stand on edge . . . and my instincts were never wrong.

After I thought I was sufficiently dried off and my hair tied away from my face, I dressed back into my priestess robes. While I was tying the string to close my top, I began to hear a rustle in the forest. I froze; I didn't have Inuyasha with me, so I did not know whether to try to fight or flee.

However, it didn't take me long to make a decision, because before long Haruka stepped out from between the trees. She was still pale, but not sweating like she had been before I gave her my herbal mixture. I mentally rejoiced that it worked before I focused on the matter at hand.

"Haruka?" I called from across the field. "Are you okay? What are you doing here?"

She gave no reply. The air had become eerily thick with tension and, when I concentrated, her aura had turned red, for danger, unlike how it had been yellow earlier today, for sickness. The woman was slowly creeping towards me, step by step, her feet padding on the grass.

 _Tap . . ._

 _Tap . . ._

 _Tap . . ._

I took a step back unconsciously and my voice shook with fear as I spoke. "Haruka, you need to go home. Kunio must be worried about y-"

Haruka was finally upon me, mere inches away from my own face. When she lifted her face so her eyes were no longer hidden by her straight bangs, her eye were sickly color of yellow, not like the gorgeous color of Inuyasha's sunburnt orbs. Her mouth opened, showing me unnatural fangs and a sickening tongue that was blue and detestably long. Haruka began to make hissing-like noises as her seemingly-infected hand, that I noticed had claws, came up to grab me by my throat.

I gasped for air and panted Inuyasha's name in hopes he could hear me. But how could he? He was all the way back at the hut! "H . . . heeeeelp," I gasped meekly.

" _ **He won't come for you."**_ Haruka's voice was bone-chilling and raspy. _**"Inuyasha will not save you. He can't even hear your pleas."**_

My eyes widened in terror and the demon cackled in glee.

" _ **Oh, how I have waited for this day! My master will be pleased that I will have attained the Shikon Jewel for him!"**_ The demon's blue tongue snaked out from between its pointed teeth and licked my cheek, leaving a trail of burning saliva on my skin.

"Hey, slimy!" a voice called from above," why don't you do me and her a favor . . ." Inuyasha dropped from a tree branch and kicked the demon in the face, "and get the _fuck off of her_!"

The demon skidded across the earth, leaving the ground broken from Inuyasha's forceful kick.

I coughed harshly as I collapsed to the ground and clutched at my throat.

"Priestess!" Inuyasha cried as he dropped to my side. "Don't worry. I'll get this thing the hell out of here," he boasted confidently.

"Kitsune," I managed between coughs. "It's a kitsune! Don't hurt Haruka!"

But my words were unheard, for the possessed-Haruka was back on her feet and charging at Inuyasha. Inuyasha was happily returning the favor.

The kitsune had her claws raised, while Inuyasha did the same. But Inuyasha had something special. Digging his claws into his palm, he drew blood and coated his claws with the crimson substance.

" **Blades of blood!** " he shouted and threw literally blades of blood at the kitsune, which sliced its skin in multiple places. Taking this opportunity. Inuyasha began to reach for his blade.

"NO!" I screeched. Before I even realized it, I was across the field and slipping in between Inuyasha and the kitsune, engulfing the kitsune and me in a purifying light.

Inuyasha, immediately sensing the energy, made a yelp of surprise and jumped back.

Having never done this in a fight before, I followed my instincts on what to do. I gripped Haruka's infected hand and swamped her with light. I put all of my soul and heart and training into that one move. My eyes were squeezed shut, my hand gripped hers so tightly my palm began to sweat, and I could feel all my energy drain from me.

The last I remember was Inuyasha screaming my title and the sensation of falling endlessly.

* * *

"So you see," the Priestess finished, "Haruka seemingly had an infection called tetanus, when in fact she was really possessed by a kitsune demon. That's why your apothecary could not heal her; he has no spiritual training." She glanced over at the woman that was sleeping again, but this time for real, instead of lying dormant. "She's going to be just fine," the Priestess reassured.

"I can't thank you enough, Priestess." Kunio sighed in relief. "If you ever need anything, please feel free to ask!"

"You're very kind, Kunio. Please take care of yourself," she said as we rose to leave.

 _Kind? You saved his wife's life! He's the one that should be saying that to you!_

"You should have asked for money," I scolded. "You nearly got yourself killed! He could at least have paid you, instead of offering you some fucking vegetables," I complained, motioning to the basket she was carrying.

"But that's selfish, Inuyasha," she replied teasingly. "I helped Kunio because I wanted to."

"Keh. You're too damn good."

The Priestess smiled but I did not miss the solemn look on her face before she tried to cover it up.

After she purified Haruka, the miko had passed out, leaving me to carry both of them back to the village. Not that it was hard, but I was more focused on the Priestess than Haruka. It scared me how her spiritual energy had flared up brighter than the sun, only to abruptly burst out like a bubble had been burst. I was in awe of her power but also afraid of it; she was powerful but she was untrained and reckless She clearly had only used her powers in controlled situations and never in a fight. That was a high risk. And also, what master had the demon been speaking of? And, since the demon mentioned it, where was the Jewel? As far as I knew, the Priestess was the only one who knew where it was. That obviously put a target on her back.

I glanced down at the small woman walking beside me quietly. I couldn't help but smirk; I was kind of glad she was able to take down a demon with little help from me.

"You may be too damn pure," I started, "but that family was sure as hell lucky to have you around, Priestess."

A smile widened across her beautiful features and a red tint coated her cheek. "Please," she said, "call me Kagome."

"'Kagome?'" I asked.

"That's my real name," Kagome explained. "But only call me that when we're alone, okay? Otherwise, I could get in trouble."

"Alright, Kagome." I felt like I could say her name over and over and never get tired of the way it rolled off my tongue. "I can do that."


	5. Rival

Welcome back, everyone! I am super, super excited for you to read this chapter because it really is going to kick-off Kagome and Inuyasha's relationship. While it doesn't really have a lot of action in it (then again, all the action is building up for later chapters, wouldn't you say?) this is an **important** chapter! Personally, I love this chapter, but I'm a bit biased because I'm the author. Anyway, I tried to bring back more of Inuyasha's funny commentary and inner monologue, so let me know what you think in a very nice **review!** I would appreciate it, as always.

 **IMPORTANT:** Now, I know I said in last chapter's author's note that I would add an index of sorts of aura colors that I want to start including in Kagome's POV so that you guys will understand what is going on. Refer to that at the end of the chapter, if you would.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Inuyasha_ or _Assassin's Creed_.

* * *

Kagome and I were in the library two days after the incident in Kunio's village; it was the first day we were back at the High Temple. I was writing a letter to the Kyōdai ai to inform them of the possessed woman that attacked Kagome. Before I first arrived here, part of my instructions were to report any mishaps and attacks on her life. This had been the first one, so I reported it as soon as possible. Even though Kagome wasn't hurt in the attack, it still worried me. I had no idea how the demon knew for sure that Kagome was the priestess that had the Jewel of Four Souls; my only explanation for the kitsune knowing it had the right priestess and used the perfect tactic to lure her to the village in Mushashi was that there was someone on the inside of the temple leaking information.

That scared me shitless. How was I supposed to protect her from the people that she was surrounded by day in and day out? This just meant that I had to keep my eyes and ears open even more than before.

"You know, you really don't have to say anything to the Kyōdai ai, Inuyasha." Kagome looked at me from over her book while I was finishing up my letter.

"I have to, Kagome," I said. We were alone in the library and I couldn't hear anyone near us in the hallway, so I was able to call her by her real name. I preferred that. Ever since she told me the secret, we had grown closer and talked more. We no longer sat in silence like we used to. It was like she felt more comfortable around me since I started calling her by "Kagome" instead of "the Priestess."

"It's part of my orders. Plus, I want to inform them that someone here might be leaking information about you and I'm going to start investigating as much as I can while still watching over you," I told her.

"This is just unnecessary," Kagome whined. "I wasn't even hurt!"

"That's not the point, Kagome!" I exclaimed. I signed the letter with my sloppy signature and put my pen down.

"Then what is the point, _Inuyasha_?" She stressed my name. It sent a thrill through me when she challenged me; her eyes lit up with hot, blue fire and she leaned toward me, causing her kimono to separate a little more where the material strained against her chest.

 _Fuck_ , I cursed internally. I forced my eyes to stay on her face.

"The point is," I growled seriously, "you could have gotten hurt. You could have gotten killed. I realize you have your powers but you are untrained in them. If you're forced to use them, you could kill yourself and anyone near you. I have to be able to protect you at all times, Kagome. I don't want you to be put in a situation where you have to call your power forth ever again. I don't give a shit what happens to anyone else, but I can't take the thought of you getting hurt, let alone killed."

Kagome stared at me with wide eyes. The challenging fire had gone out of them, being replaced by surprise, and her breathing had become slower. "Inuyasha . . ."

"Do you understand me, Kagome?" I pressed. _Kami, I loved saying her fucking name._

She nodded and leaned back to sit on the cushion again. "I'm sorry you have to worry so much and do all the fighting for me." Her dead dropped, causing her thick hair to shield her face. "I wish I knew how to fight more."

My ear dropping against my skull at the shame in her voice, I moved around to the other side of the table to sit next to her. I placed a clawed finger under her chin delicately and pulled her face up to make her look at me. The thought of how close we were made me lick my lips nervously. "Don't _ever_ look away from me like that again. You have nothing to be ashamed of. It's not your fault no one has trained you how to use your powers safely."

"It's not that I don't want to learn," Kagome replied softly. "No one will teach me."

I let her chin go; her skin burned against mine and really, _was it hot in that room or was it just me?_ "Why won't anyone teach you? Wouldn't that make more sense so maybe you have a chance of protecting yourself?" I asked.

"That's what I thought, too, at first. But the High Priest says that there's no use in having me waste my energy on fighting when I should focus on protecting the Jewel. On top of that, in order for me to remain pure, I cannot engage in fighting in any sort. What happened in the forest was a mistake on my part, I shouldn't have jumped in like that, but I was afraid you would hurt Haruka. The High Priest said that since it was my first offense it was okay, but if it ever happened again, there would be consequences."

"The point is," she continued, "it's not that I don't want to learn to control my power, it's the fact that I'm not allowed to. It's not my _choice_."

From the High Priest's point of view, it made sense. But it made me think about how that they didn't see Kagome for who she really was; a beautiful, kind woman who would do anything to help others but at the same time would not take your shit (or more specifically, my shit). No, they saw her as a tool to protect the thing they thought was most precious in the world, so they wouldn't risk her life. When really . . . the Jewel wasn't the most precious thing on this Earth.

At least, I didn't see it as the most precious thing.

I swallowed hard and stopped breathing when Kagome's scent became too overwhelming. We were so close; the small table allowed little room for separation when you sat on the same side. The young woman's lips parted slightly and I felt her breath splash against my face. It seemed that I wasn't the only one that noticed how close our proximity was. My heart was thudding against my chest. I'm pretty sure my ribcage was the only thing keeping it in my body.

She made me feel so goddamn _adolescent._ Seriously, what fucking grown ass man would nearly lose his shit over this?

"Fuck," I whispered harshly. I scrambled for my papers like a fucking idiot and nearly tripped when I tried to stand up. "I-I'm going to get these sealed and mailed off. Don't move!" I screamed at her a little louder than I intended and rushed out of the room, leaving a stunned Kagome behind.

* * *

A week went by and my response from the Kyōdai ai finally arrived. Kagome was in the dining hall, eating miso soup for dinner after she had finished her daily cleansing, when a messenger called for me. I told Kagome to stay there while I went downstairs to meet the messenger at the entrance. I took the parchment from him and gave him a gruff smile. He bowed and turned on his heel to walk away.

Slicing the seal open swiftly with one of my claws, I unfolded the letter. It read:

 _Inuyasha,_

 _Thank you for the report. I am grateful that the Priestess and the Jewel are safe from harm. However, the possible occurrence of someone on the inside of the High Temple is indeed alarming. Seeing as how moving the Priestess would possibly give it away that I suspect something, I order for you both to remain at the temple. However, I am sending someone to help you in your assignment. It's not that I think you inadequate for the assignment; this is most certainly not the case. But in light of this attack, I realize that we cannot be too careful with her safety. By the time this letter arrives, Koga should be there, or should arrive the same day as this letter. Forgive me for not giving you much notice; you know how far the High Temple is away from us and how it can take me while to deal with each matter that lands on my desk._

 _Sincerely,_

 _The Master_

I stared at the paper in surprise. Are you fucking kidding me? They were sending-

"Hey, mutt-face!" an exclamation broke out through the silence of the temple.

I looked up from the letter to see the one and stinking only Koga, a wolf demon who was one of the best assassins of the Kyōdai ai because of his speed, strength, and his ability to control wolves. That has come in handy from time to time.

I crinkled the paper in my fist and growled loudly. "Wolf shit, what the actual _fuck_ do you think you're doing here?!"

Koga's icy-blue eyes moved from my fist to my _extremely_ pissed off expression. "I see you finally got the letter," he drawled lazily.

"Yeah, I did," I snapped back, bearing my fangs slightly. "And you can get the fuck out because we don't need you here!"

"'We?'" Koga chuckled and crossed his arms. "So there's a 'we' between you and the Priestess?"

The wolf demon's attire left no room for question as to who he was. He wore a breastplate that was attached to wolf fur on his shoulders. Around his waist was a . . . well, let's just call it a skirt, shall we? Because wolf-shit is a pussy like that. Whatever you want to call it, it was made of wolf fur that allowed his tail to be shown proudly. He also donned fur to cover his feet and calves. Wolf demons had always been showy fuckers.

I scoffed to cover up my slip-up. Of course there wasn't a 'we.' Kagome didn't even know Koga was here! I just didn't want him getting within twenty feet of her. "No, of course not, fleabag. I'm just saying that she doesn't need your protection! I'm doing just fine on my own."

"Ah, but don't you remember your letter?" Koga smirked. "You said that you couldn't watch the Priestess _and_ investigate to see if there's someone here spying on her and releasing information. So, of course you need my help! You said it before. Now you're chickening out, half-breed?"

I snarled at the nickname Koga had given me since the first day we met; the day he joined the Kyōdai ai after his pack was slain by an unknown, supposedly powerful demon. Being, essentially, a homeless ex-chieftain of his own tribe, Koga had nowhere else to go. But he was an asshole, and while he was a good asset, he was a goddamn prick. I hated him.

"You wanna say that a little louder, shit-bag?" I dared him, my lips pulling back further over my fangs. I felt my body automatically start to lower into attack position, my fingers slowly curling around Tetsusaiga's hilt.

Koga glared, starting to growl back at my challenge. "Are you deaf? I said-"

"Inuyasha!" a familiar voice called, cutting Koga off, the echo of it indicating they were coming down the stairs. My ears flicked at the sound of Kagome's feet padding quickly across the wooden floor towards us.

Shooting one last glare at Koga, I took my hand off of Tetsusaiga and quickly straightened my posture. Koga did the same. I knew Kagome had begun to feel the electricity in the air even all the way from the dining hall; her powers were that profound. Most likely, she had come to bail my ass out of doing something she knew was stupid.

When I turned to face her, Kagome had a beautiful, bright smile on her face, but it wasn't directed at me. Instead, her stormy-blue eyes were fixed on Koga. It made me burn hot inside, but it wasn't the usual burning I got when I was around her. This was something different . . . something unknown to me.

Kagome came to stand beside me but was still not looking at me. "Inuyasha, who is this?" she inquired.

A wolfy, shit-eating grin was plastered on Koga's face. His eyes roamed over the young priestess' form before finally resting on her face. He closed the distance between us and took Kagome's hand between his monstrous ones.

"My name is Koga, Priestess," he greeted cheerfully. The wolf demon brought her right hand to his lips and pecked the back of it lightly. "When I heard that the Priestess was to be my new assignment, I had no idea that you would be so beautiful."

Growling at Koga's blatant flirting, my eyes moved over to Kagome to see her reaction.

A pink blush covered the bridge of her nose. "It is nice to meet you, Koga," she said politely as she drew her hand away from his. She finally moved her eyes from Koga and on to me. I wanted to bask in her attention.

. . . Only because it annoyed Koga, of fucking course.

"What's that in your hand?" she asked me.

I handed the crumpled letter to her. "It's from the Kyōdai ai."

Kagome's eyes skimmed the letter in interest, reading the explanation she desired. "I see . . ." She neatly folded the letter and placed her hands in front of her. "Well, I appreciate you being here, Koga. I'm so glad that Inuyasha is receiving the help he needs so he can . . . _investigate_." Kagome gave me a look that I read loud and clear: we would talk later. I hadn't told her about my suspicions on someone spying on her from the inside. I didn't want to worry her, nor was I really wanting to face her possibly being angry about it.

Turns out I was definitely right about the latter.

"I don't really give a shit about dog-breath over here," Koga assured, "but I will gladly protect the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes upon."

And there it was again: Kagome _blushed_ at that asshole! Look, I realized I did the same thing when I met her, but if Koga didn't stop looking at her like she was the best meal he had ever seen, I was going to carve his eyes out with my claws. This only made the burning sensation in my stomach angrier, if that were possible.

Kagome cleared her throat and lifted her chin to show that she was not deterred by his flirtatious comments. "Well, like I said, thank you for coming. Let me just finish my dinner and we'll get you settled in your room. In fact, why don't you join us in the dining hall and eat? I'm sure you're starving from your journey."

"That's very kind, thank you." Koga's grin grew wider. "You sure know when to feed a man's appetite, don't you?"

Excuse me . . . _what? What the actual fucking fuck?!_

I was ready to lop Koga's big ass head off for that comment and it's underlying message, but Kagome's laughed and motioned for him to follow him to the dining hall. I would have followed them, because I didn't particularly want to leave Kagome alone with that prick, but my stomach made me feel like I was going to be sick. I couldn't take being around the wolf demon any longer.

Luckily for me, Kagome was not easily seduced; yes, she was a woman that liked being called beautiful and allowed herself to blush, but I had seen men in the village try to kiss her after she had healed them or even when she just spoke to them in the streets. She had never once faltered in her rejection of them. She never seemed like she even _wanted_ to kiss someone. Kagome could last against Koga for a couple hours without me. Of that I was positive.

I lied awake in bed that night. While Koga and Kagome ate, I had taken the opportunity to soak in the bath house for as long as I desired until the wolf demon had come in wanting to bathe as well. There was no way in hell I was staying in there to see that asshole naked, so I quickly hopped out and returned to my room. Walking down the hallway, though, I saw a couple of servants moving Koga's bags into a room . . . right next to Kagome's.

And that led to me being awake in the middle of the goddamn night thinking about that fuckbag being _so close_ to Kagome. I realize the rooms were randomly chosen, and there weren't many on this side of the temple to begin with, but this was just my luck. Of course he would be right next to her! It's not that I was afraid Koga would try something on her in the middle of the night, he wasn't that sick, but them being close meant _talking._ It meant a relationship would be formed, moments would be shared, and they would become closer until . . .

The burning feeling was back in my stomach again suddenly. It made me feel sick and irritable again, so I tried to think of something else to get it to go away. I thought about where to possibly begin investigating. Really, this temple was huge, so there was no shortage of rooms to search or people to threaten for answers. But the question was where to begin? The library was possible, there were scrolls and books that people could hide something in or write down information on Kagome, but that was almost too obvious. I would have to get crafty if I was going to find the person that had been hiding in plain sight for Kami-knows-how-long.

My eyebrows furrowed as I stared at the pitch-black wall across from my futon. Kagome's room was the only one I had seen on the hallway that had a window; she had probably requested one. She was fond of the fresh air like I was. I would like to think that's why she urged me to run through the forest that day: because she wanted to be outside, too.

I thought about the people that Kagome associated with often, aside from me of course. There was a couple priests in training, and one young priestess, that she talked to from time-to-time if they had any questions for her. I didn't know their names, and I didn't think they were around her enough to spy, but it wouldn't hurt to find out more about them. There was also Hojo, who tried to be around Kagome as much as possible. His blushing, stammering personality could have been a farce to bring her guard down against him, so he was definitely a possibility.

However, there was one person who Kagome for sure had to see every day and who constantly had eyes on her. It was the one person Kagome never doubted, had unfailing trust in, and looked to often for guidance. It was the person running this whole operation: the High Priest.

Now, I had my answer as to where to begin my search.

* * *

 **Aura Colors Index:**

Red: _dangerous_

Black: _betrayal, evil, ill-will_

Green: _sickly, dying, etc._

Gold: _calm, happy, etc._

Blue: _sad, depressed, etc._


	6. Jealousy

I am so, so sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out! But between work, school, having surgery, my dad coming into town . . . I had no time. But I have it out now! So therefore, I won't waste time with a long author's note. Read and review! The proof-reading has been done for this chapter. So some things have been added or taken out!

Disclaimer: I do not own _Inuyasha_ or _Assassin's Creed._

* * *

Koga and Kagome strolled around the garden as I watched from the top of the staircase. It was early in the morning, the first morning after Koga's arrival, and I was already prepared to rip the stinking wolf's head clean off. The garden was a few hundred feet away from the entrance of the temple, so I couldn't hear them from this distance but I could definitely see the two. I could see Koga talking Kagome's ear off, probably telling "heroic" stories about himself. I could also see Kagome's smile widen into a laugh whenever he said something she thought was funny or when she responded with a comment of her own.

It made me sick.

I had finally gotten to sleep last night after _hours_ of trying to distract myself from the thought of Kagome and the sensations she caused to rise within me, both good and bad. But clearly, trying to make it go away was pointless because that fucking burning sensation was back as soon as I saw the two of them together . . . alone!

Finally, Koga and Kagome had circled around the garden that led out to the main courtyard, which led to the staircase on which I was standing. I didn't know how long I had watched them for, with my arms and legs crossed while I leaned against the door frame. All I knew was that I felt physically sick; like I was gonna puke at any moment.

However, it made me feel a little bit better when I heard Kagome calling my name, drawing me out of my head where I pictured hanging Koga from the top of the High Temple by his outrageous tail.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome greeted as she ran up the never-ending staircase, even skipping steps to get to me faster. "I didn't know you were awake already. You were sound asleep when I knocked on your door."

"Yeah, I didn't get much sleep," I grumbled. "What are you doing out here so early?"

"I asked the Priestess to show me around the temple for a little bit before the day started," Koga cut in. He seemed very smug at the fact that Kagome showed him some goddamn flowers. "We were just talking about some of the missions I have been on."

"Good for you," I sneered.

Koga gave no retort, probably to make himself look like the nice guy in front of Kagome. He opted for smirking at me instead, which was just as irritating.

 _If only she knew_ , I thought to myself as there was silence between the three of us while Koga and I stared each other down.

My ear flicked in her direction when a certain young woman let out a sigh. "Inuyasha, may I speak with you privately?" she asked politely.

I shrugged in response. For some reason, I couldn't feel all the _warm_ feelings I felt whenever Kagome was near me. It was like Koga had bundled them up into a sack and thrown them out into a river to be carried off. Now, I just felt angry at her for no reason.

Kagome maintained an emotionless expression on her face as she turned and told Koga to go to the dining hall for breakfast and that we would meet him there later. She turned back to me and motioned for me to follow her with a wave of a dainty finger. I did what she asked.

The miko led me down the stairs and into the temple's garden, where she sat on a bench right next to the gate. As I sat next to her, I noted the different fragrances that surrounded the garden. This was my first time actually inside the garden's gates; usually when Kagome came here, I sat outside to spare myself from being overwhelmed by the scents. I could smell all the different herbs that they grew here personally, as well as the flowers planted for decoration. It was quite picturesque; the priests and priestess here put great work into their garden.

Kagome wasted no time in getting to the point. She certainly wasn't one to beat around the bush; I had never known her to be. "Like I said yesterday, I wanted to talk you. You failed to mention your suspicions of someone spying on me here. You didn't think that maybe I have the right to know that? You know I want us to be open with each other."

"I didn't want to worry you," I admitted. "I knew it would upset you that there's a possibility of someone trying to hurt you here, so, naturally, I didn't say anything."

"But this is my life, Inuyasha!" Kagome reprimanded. "If it concerns my safety and the safety of others, I always want to know."

"It's not like I was never going to tell you!" I retorted. "I just didn't want to worry you unnecessarily! And you know what?" I continued without skipping a beat. "Don't give me that bullshit about being open with each other! I didn't even know your fucking real name until a week ago! You say you want to be open with each other but I barely know anything substantial about you. _You're_ the one who is really keeping secrets, wench!"

"You don't understand!" Kagome yelled back at me. "I can't tell you much about myself because . . ."

"Because why?"

"I can't tell you," she replied sheepishly, those blue eyes downcast in shame.

I threw my hands up in the air in frustration and jumped up from the bench. I knew I was blowing up at Kagome just because Koga got under my skin, and seeing them alone set me off, but I just couldn't stop myself. I was too far gone. "More fucking secrets! You know, you're going to die surrounded all these fucking people who can't touch you or know you and want to keep you here. You're going to die without knowing what the world is really like because you're too afraid to trust anyone. You're going to die a lonely _wench_ ," I sneered at her.

Kagome gasped and drew back as if my words had slapped her psychically.

I growled and turned on my bare heel, marching back to the temple. My hands were balled into tight fists; I could feel blood beginning to prickle beneath my nails. However, at the garden gate, I spared one last glance at Kagome and said, "And yet, I still want to protect you with everything in me," and took off sprinting inside the temple, not even stopping when I startled that Hobo kid.

* * *

 _Kami, why can't this temple make it easier to sneak around?_

I was slipping in through a window at the highest point of the temple. It was dusty, extremely small, and in no way inconspicuous. My only salvation was that the window was so high up that anyone with human vision wouldn't be able to see me. Which was perfect because I didn't need to be questioned as to why I was turning myself into a contortionist in able to get into the room where Kagome was cleansed undetected.

Considering I had never met nor seen the High Priest personally, and this was the only room I had known the High Priest to associate with, I decided to start my search here. I landed lightly on my feet with grace that only a demon could possess. My eyes seared over every inch of the room like my training had taught me to do. There was the grand door Kagome always entered through. A large expanse of flooring stretched to another door; this one more modest than the former.

Seeing no other option, I went through the second door. It was like I opened a gateway to a whole other world because this room was any other I had ever seen. I finally found out where all the other damn wall decorations went because there was hardly any space left untouched in here. Whether it was a tapestry displaying one of the Kamis, a scroll with scripture on it, or just a very beautiful painting, this room was bright and colorful, unlike the rest of the temple. There was an indoor waterfall of sorts, made from water pouring from a pipe in the room to spill into a large pool of water.

 _So that's where the sake-like scent comes from,_ I realized. There was also a changing screen in the corner of the room that I assumed Kagome used after she was purified for the day.

Walls, walls, and more walls. There were no more doors to take me to what might have been the High Priest's office or, hell, a room where they kept all their secrets.

No dice. Go figure.

However, this did not stop my search. My training with the Kyōdai ai had taught me to always observe every crevice of every corner and every crack in every wall. I would not leave till I had done just that. I began to walk around the room in tiny steps, keeping my breathing slow and even in concentration. I would knock on the wooden panels on the walls and floors to see if anything was hidden behind them.

There was no telling how long that continued; a few minutes, an hour, a few hours. Who knows? But I had to be thorough. Kagome's safety was at stake and I would not stop until I was satisfied with my work. It was funny how, even though I was pissed at her, I still made Kagome my top priority.

When I reached the upper right corner of the room, my foot sunk a little into the floor and the panel creaked beneath my weight; none of the others did that. Furrowing my brow, I knelt down to the floor and pried the wood up with my bare hand. Beneath it was a stack of scrolls. I found this odd; why would you keep scrolls under the floorboard? Reaching down, I grabbed a handful and brought it up so I could unroll one. What I saw puzzled me even further. The writing was clearly done in Japanese kanji, that was obvious, but the characters were unlike any I had ever seen, and I had been alive for a fair amount of time now. These scrolls were obviously a secret (I mean, duh) but I had no idea if they had any connection to Kagome. However, in able to eliminate them as a threat, I would need to find out more about them.

I listened for anyone that might be approaching and sat there memorizing every inked character. I had an excellent memory, I had to with my assignments, so I was confident in my ability to remember the scroll. I didn't want to risk taking it with me in case someone noticed it was missing. I figured I would ask my Master about it; he was old as shit so he should know about this kind of thing. It looked like I would be writing another letter to the Kyōdai ai sooner than I had anticipated. Unfortunately, though, with Koga also appointed for Kagome's protection too, I had to share this information with him before I sent off anything.

Well, didn't that make my whole day just that much _sunnier_?

When I snuck back out of the cleansing room in search of Kagome and Koga, the sun was already high in the sky. Each day was getting warmer, causing more people to bustle about outside. It just made it that much easier for me to investigate without getting caught. Though judging by the sun's position, I had been in that room longer than I thought I had and Kagome was most likely getting ready to head out to the village. I was thankful I didn't miss that so my findings would just have to wait until later. I didn't want Kagome to be out of my sight for too long . . . or to be with Koga alone.

I found them at the front of the temple. A small carriage was waiting to take Kagome to the village. Today, Hojo and a young girl I had only seen once or twice, named Tsetuni, accompanied the raven-haired woman. Tsetuni was a quiet girl that only spoke when spoken to and mainly spent her time tending to the herbs in the garden. Overall, I enjoyed her accompany a lot than I did Hojo's, who was currently occupying Kagome's attention. Even Koga was standing off to the side.

I walked over to stand beside him, my hands folded into my sleeves. I noticed Koga had also left his Kyōdai ai cape in his room just like I did; the cape tended to get a bit too hot in the spring and summer weather months.

"Did you find anything?" the wolf-demon inquired lowly so the humans wouldn't hear.

I nodded. "Yes. Or at least, I think I did. I'll have to tell you in private. I don't want her to hear."

Koga let out a snort. "Aren't you already in enough shit with keeping secrets from the Priestess? From what I heard this morning, you already got your ass handed to you and then you acted like a jackass."

I growled lowly in my throat. "Watch yourself, wolf. Remember that you haven't nearly been here as long as I have and you don't know shit about the Priestess and I."

Noticing that Kagome and the other two were climbing inside the carriage, I went over to the horse that had been provided for Koga and I. The carriage they were taking today was too small to fit all of us, which suited me just fine. I preferred the outside air, even if I did have to ride on some stinky horse.

As we rode, I thought about what I said to Koga and what I could have possibly insinuated. There was no, "Priestess and I." Hell, I would be lucky if she considered me her friend. I mean, she did tell me her real name, right? So I already knew more than most of the other people residing at the temple. However, it seemed to me like she treated me no differently than someone like Hojo. Maybe she just told me her real name because she didn't want to have to be addressed as "Priestess" while I was living here with her, which might be awhile. I had already been here over two months and didn't seem like I would be leaving anytime soon.

Expecting anything other than friendship from Kagome, however, seemed too much to hope for. She was a high-ranking, well respected miko. People called on her aid from miles around. She was beautiful, intelligent, caring, and even funny at times. Kagome had a way of riling me up, only to be able to calm me back down again. It was a talent I had never seen in a woman; not even Kikyo.

And then there was me. A half-breed. A hanyou. An abomination. Sure, I was the long-forgotten son of Inu no Taisho, an infamous, dog-demon, war general and Lord of the West. But even when I did live at my father's court, many decades ago, I still was not accepted by the people. To them, I was the product of a disgraceful love affair between a human woman and a great demon. The fact that my mother, Izayoi, was a princess did nothing to quiet the objections of my father's court to their relationship. Growing up, I was ridiculed day in and day out by the children of the village that was close to my home. My every attempt at making friends was futile. I had grown up learning that I was nothing but a disease upon my father's bloodline. Even my asshole brother felt the same as they did and I had never felt love from him. I barely even knew him.

Despite my mother's loving embrace and reassurances that she and my father loved me no matter what, it did nothing to change how the people and full-blooded demons saw me as: a monster. So how could I be good enough for someone as important as Kagome? The day I abandoned my place at my father's court was the day I became less than what I already was; I had abandoned all titles and luxuries. The Kyōdai ai was the only place I had ever found a purpose, had ever found acceptance. I even made friends there! And even though the Kyōdai ai offered me honor, it still did not make me good enough for Kagome.

Then again, why was I so worried about it? It's not like I had fallen for the little miko. I had met plenty of beautiful woman in my lifetime; she was no different. I had no reason to worry over Koga falling for her or her falling for me. I could never fall in love. It would compromise my assignment. I could forget all about this anger towards Koga's flirting; if he wanted to get involved with an assignment, that was his deal, not mine.

So, with that mindset, I continued on to the village. I would have a friendship with Kagome, if that's what this was, but there would be nothing more than that between us.

* * *

There wasn't much to be done in the village that day. Mainly, I checked on a few villagers that I had treated recently to see how they were doing. This allowed Tsetuni to practice more with herbs for bandaging. Currently, I was showing her how to wrap a cut on a man's leg that was wounded in the fields.

"Like this, Priestess?" Tsetuni asked meekly as she applied the herbal remedy onto the cut. I could see her hands were shaking from the sight of blood.

I gave her a reassuring smile. "Yes, you're doing beautifully." I handed her the cloth she needed for the bandage. "Now, wrap this around the wound and make sure you tie it securely," I instructed.

With a reluctant nod, Tsetuni slowly, but carefully, tied the wound with the bandage to apply pressure to stop the bleeding, taking deep breaths to calm her shaking hands.

I clapped my hands in triumph after it was tied off. "Well done, Tsetuni!" I cheered.

The girl blushed and gave me a nervous smile, but said nothing. I was used to how quiet she was.

"Thank you to you both." The man gave us a slight bow from his sitting position on the floor.

I motioned for Tsetuni to stand and we returned the bow.

"There was no trouble at all," I said. "That wound should heal up quite nicely. I will return in a few days' time to check on it. Try not to overexert yourself; absolutely no field work for at least two days!" I ordered.

"Of course, Priestess!" he exclaimed hastily. "I just feel honored that you were here to help."

"It's not trouble at all." I gave him a warm smile before leading Tsetuni out of the hut.

Hojo, Koga, and Inuyasha were waiting outside.

"Well done, Priestess!" Hojo exclaimed. "You work continues to astonish me," he flattered.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes; he had seen me work a thousand times. "Thank you, Hojo, but this time the credit is due to Testuni. She did beautifully for her first time treating a wound such as that."

If Hojo had heard a word I said, he did not acknowledge Tsetuni at all; he simply continued to smile at me.

"Well," I said to break the silence, "I'm pretty much done here. Why don't we rest before we journey back? I'm sure Tsetuni would like to see the market, seeing as how this is one of her first times here."

Tsetuni smiled up at me and nodded eagerly.

"Of course, Priestess, whatever you would like to do," Koga said with a wide grin.

I smiled back at him before walking alongside the young girl to my favorite part of the village: the market. I loved to see all the different crafts, arts, clothing, anything that was handmade that were being sold by the merchants there. I often had felt tempted to buy something, like beautiful hair pins or a bracelet, but then I remembered that I had no money to buy anything with. Money and things that would enhance my looks were earthly pleasures. Things I could not indulge in if I were to remain pure.

I tried not to dwell on it. Rather, I wanted to enjoy my time in the village while I could.

Tsetuni ran ahead of me, but stayed in my line of sight, so she could inspect things on her own. Hojo was jabbering away in my ear, commenting on our surroundings, but I was hardly listening. Instead, I was watching the young girl take in what was around her. Tsetuni had come to the High Temple to train as a healer. Even though we mainly had priests and priestess at out temple, we also had a few healers and other people who specialized that had no spiritual powers. She was a shy, quiet girl, but she was a quick study and was eager to learn.

In spite of knowing it was wrong, I was jealous of Tsetuni. When she came to our temple less than a month ago, she told the High Priest's advisers that she had chosen to come here on her volition; her parents had even testified on her behalf. I was there when she arrived, to welcome her, and while I saw that her parent's auras were filled with sadness at losing their daughter, they were also proud that she would be training at the most renowned temple in all of Japan.

I was jealous because she was able to choose this life. I had not.

This caused me no ill feelings towards the girl, but at my own life. I knew it was wrong with all I had in me. Jealousy was a sinful feeling that I had no right to feel. Tsetuni and I were dealt different cards in life. I had learned to accept mine a long time ago. So what changed?

I glanced behind by left shoulder at the two men following behind me. I was focused on one in particular: Inuyasha. What he said to me earlier had struck a nerve in me. Yes, what he said was cruel and very surprising, but he was right: I was never going to experience life outside of the rules that had been set for me. I was never going to know what a man's touch would feel like, to survive on my own . . . I was going to die alone, even if it was for a good cause.

None of this had bothered me until Inuyasha arrived. Sometimes, when he looked at me, that caused me to wonder what it would feel for him to touch my skin again, like that day he grabbed my wrist by accident. And that day in the library when he was so close . . . I had never felt so on edge. He angered me. He frustrated me. He _excited_ me. These were all feelings I knew I was never supposed to feel but did anyway. And Koga being here was causing Inuyasha to become angry and on edge; this morning his aura had been red, for anger, but now it was more of a pink; I guessed that meant he had calmed down a bit but something was still bothering him.

Turning my gaze away from the silver-haired demon, something sparkly caught my eye at one of the stands. I stopped to look and thankfully Hojo didn't notice but simply kept walking. It was a necklace made of rhinestones that shimmered in the light. It was shaped so the circle part would clasp behind your neck then it dipped into a teardrop-like shape to rest on your chest. I couldn't help but be captivated by its beauty.

"See something you like?" a gruff voice whispered in my ear. When I turned my head slightly to see who it was, I saw that it was Koga, looking over my left shoulder.

"I think it's very beautiful," I answered simply.

"Then why don't you try it on?"

"No, I shouldn't," I answered hesitantly. "I can't buy it anyway."

"Well, that doesn't mean you can't try it on!" Koga replied jovially as he reached around me to grab the necklace. He moved my thick hair out of the way, his claws grazing over the skin on the back of my neck. However, the touch did not make me shiver like Inuyasha's had. Unclasping the necklace, the wolf demon dropped it around my neck and reclasped it again.

The paleness of my skin brought out the sparkle of the rhinestones and, when I looked in the small mirror on the stand, I noticed that the teardrop brought attention to the slight cleavage my kimono could never cover up from the size of my breasts. But I couldn't feel embarrassed. I was not a vain person, and I did not think myself the most beautiful creature on Earth, but I secretly liked the way the necklace drew attention to me and brought out the blue in my eyes.

I noticed Koga was staring when my eyes flickered to his reflection in the mirror. I blushed, but more out of embarrassment than flattery. I moved to take the necklace off.

"That looks very beautiful on you, Miss," the merchant commented with a foreign accent but spoke Japanese very well.

I smiled wide. "Thank you but I'm afraid it's too beautiful for me." I took off the necklace reluctantly and placed it back on its holder. I bowed in thanks to him for letting me try it on. I decided we would stay for a bit longer before heading back so Tsetuni could become more familiar with the village and to enjoy the fresh air.

When I turned around to continue walking, however, a pair of golden eyes were fixed right on me. Inuyasha had been staring at us the whole time. He had seen what Koga had done and how he had looked at me.

The red aura was back and more prominent than ever.

* * *

It took all I had not to beat the fucking wolf pup to a bloody pulp the whole ride back to the temple. I imagined multiple ways of executing Koga, no matter how many rules I would be breaking in doing so. He had stared at Kagome like she was his next meal. Goddammit, his tail was practically wagging when he put that necklace around her neck! I had to admit, Kagome was beautiful without any sort of jewelry or makeup to enhance her features, but even _I_ could see the attention it drew to her breasts from where I had been standing. If it had made my mind run wild, then I could only imagine Koga's.

We were back at the temple now, and Kagome had already gone through her cleansing, a ritual she still only let me accompany her to. She must have been hungry because as soon as she walked out of that room, she set her course for the Dining Hall. Kagome said nothing to neither me nor Koga as we ate. That suited me just fine; I was afraid that if I spoke, I would lose my temper with her again. I already felt bad for losing my shit with her this morning, no matter how frustrated I was.

I knew that she knew I was angry. She probably saw my aura back at the village. In fact, I knew she had. Her blue eyes had gone wide and her lack of saying anything to me proved I was right. Good. I hope she was scared shitless.

The silence at our table was broken by the screeching of a plate across the wood in protest. I looked up to see Kagome staring down at her lap.

"I'm going to my room now. Alone," she announced abruptly and got up to leave, exciting the room with a brisk pace so as not to leave any room for question.

Koga and I stared after her with different expressions on our faces. His was of confusion; my eyes were narrowed in anger.

"Wonder what crawled up her ass," Koga commented.

"Shut the fuck up," I snapped and abandoned my plate to follow after Kagome.

To her credit, she was already up the stairs and headed down the hallway to her room. I ran up the stairs with youkai speed to catch up with her. When I was close enough, I leapt forward to land in front of her.

She nearly fell over from my sudden appearance and had to keep herself from falling. "Inuyasha! What are you doing?"

"The better question is, Kagome," I countered darkly, "what are you doing?"

A faint blush painted the bridge of her nose and the tops of her pale cheeks. "I don't know what you're talking about, Inuyasha."

"Oh, I think you do." With every word I said, I took a step towards her, making the young woman back up so I wouldn't get too close. "I saw the way Koga touched you today at the market. The way he looked at you."

Okay, so maybe I was exaggerating Koga touching the back of her neck a bit, but I was so livid that I didn't give a fuck. The fire was back and eating away at my belly.

"You're being ridiculous," Kagome voiced my thoughts. "Koga was just being nice."

"He wasn't just being _nice_ ," I hissed. "He wants you."

Kagome's blue eyes widened and she scoffed. "Koga does not wa-"

"Don't try to deny it!" I shouted. "I can smell it on him every time he looks at you. I could smell it again today when you tried that goddamn necklace on!"

"So what if he does want me?" Kagome shouted back, getting closer to me like she did every time we fought. "What's so bad about that?"

"There is everything _bad_ about that, _Priestess_!" I sneered her proper title out of malice. I'm sure my aura was flaming by now. "That damn wolf doesn't have the right to have his hands all over you!"

"What, and you do?"

"That's not what-"

"You know what I think?" Kagome cut in this time. "I think you're jealous!"

"Jealous?" I scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. I don't get _jealous._ "

"Oh, I'm being ridiculous? I'm not the one who's been an asshole ever since Koga showed up!" I flinched at Kagome's curse. I would have been impressed had she not been shrieking at me when she said it. "I'm not the one who's barely said a word to me, unless it's to point out everything that's wrong with my life! And you know what? What's so wrong with someone wanting me? At least someone does!"

"Someone _does_ want you, you dumbass!"

"Who?"

"Me!"

And just like that, our worlds came crashing together. I grabbed Kagome by her hips and dragged her towards me so I could crash my lips onto hers. Kagome let out a squeak of surprise, and taking this as an advantage, I slipped my tongue inside her mouth to tease hers for a moment, without pushing her too far. My lips coaxed hers roughly as I backed her up against a wall, her arms held in place by my hands tightly. It wasn't long before her lips began to move against mine on their own accord. Kagome's nervousness was slowly dissolving as her body melted against mine, like two puzzle pieces coming together to form the complete picture.

That's how I felt with Kagome: complete.

Her curves teased me almost as much as her lips did, but I tried to compose myself so I wouldn't frighten her. I felt like I was already pushing one of her limits now.

The kiss had dissipated from one of raw hunger to sweet pecks on her full, bottom lip. When I pulled back, Kagome's blush had spread from just her nose to her whole countenance. Those blue eyes were closed and her breathing was labored. Pink lips were swollen from my rough treatment with them but I couldn't bring myself to be sorry. I liked having her lips look like that because of me. It made my ego swell, among other things. We stayed in that position, with her body pinned beneath mine for Kami knows how long. I didn't give a shit if someone saw us at this point.

I rested my forehead against hers and waited for her eyes to open so I could say what I needed to. I wanted to look at me so she could see I was telling the truth. Wanted her to read it on my face.

When she finally did open those gorgeous pools, I gave her a serious look that silently told her to keep looking at me. "I want you, Kagome. But if I can't have you, I won't let Koga or anyone else have you either. No one will ever touch you the way I have."

Kagome nodded and wrapped her arms around my neck. She said nothing, but I heard every word in her silence.

She wanted me too.

* * *

Ugh, I suck. Seriously, skewer me with a spear. That sucked ass. Please don't hate me! Just review!


	7. Freedom

Yes, my readers, chapter 7 is already out! Surprised? I am. I didn't think I would have it ready this soon but here I am! I think you guys will really like this chapter; you finally get answers into Kagome's past. It's so much fun to write about these characters! I love developing their stories. Next chapter, I plan on going into Inuyasha's past even more, though I know his is more clear than Kagome's. Enjoy, read, and review!

Disclaimer: Sigh . . . Do I really need to say it again?

* * *

I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to get a full night's rest while living at the High Temple. First, it was my attraction to Kagome that kept me awake. Second, it was my burning jealousy of Koga that did it. Now, it was the frightening desire to ravish the miko's lips with mine once again. It was sad. It was so, so sad. I hadn't expected Kagome to feel that _good._ The kiss had made me feel whole but had shattered me. It made me feel dangerous but safe. It made me feel on the edge of sanity but perfectly in control of my actions all at once.

As we were eating breakfast that morning, it was silent except for the steady rain pounding on the roof. Kagome and I had barely said two words to each other, aside from our usual morning greetings. I had no idea what was going on inside her head. Did she regret the kiss? Was she going to act like it never happened? That didn't seem like a very Kagome-like thing to do, though. However, her silence was causing my stomach to churn. I had barely eaten two bites of my rice and vegetables and that was saying something. I was known for having a huge appetite.

I sighed in resignation; just one more goddamn thing we needed to talk about.

"So, Priestess," Koga broke the silence, "what is on the agenda for today?"

"Not much, actually," Kagome replied, setting her bowl and chopsticks to the side gently. "The village is quiet today, and there have been no reports brought to me of anyone needing my help. So, today, I order you both to relax and do whatever you want!"

Koga smiled. "That's very kind of you, Priestess. I have been wanting to stretch my legs for a while. Maybe I'll venture into the forest today. I'm sure dog-shit can watch over you by himself for a day." Koga smirked at the dig.

I growled at him warningly, my foot beginning to tap against the floor in annoyance. Despite his comments, I couldn't help but feel elated at the thought of Kagome and I being alone today.

"You best remember I was watching her just fine on my own, flea-bag," I shot back. Before I rattled off anymore insults, though, I remembered what I needed to speak with Koga about as soon as possible. I lowered my voice to whisper, "There is something I need to speak with you about. Now."

"What, here?" Koga inquired as Kagome flicked her eyes between us in question.

"No, not here." I gave a knowing look to the others in the room with us. "Priestess, is there somewhere we can speak alone?"

"The library should be open," said miko informed.

"Great, let's go there now." I stood up quickly and marched out of the dining hall, leaving no room for argument. Koga and Kagome had to scramble to catch up with me. Koga did so more gracefully than a stumbling Kagome.

In the library, there was no one in there but us and the dust. I picked up no sound of anyone in the area, so no one was eavesdropping or following us. It was perfect.

"I started searching around the temple yesterday," I started explaining. Koga was watching me with a furrowed brow, taking in every word. Kagome's expression was similar but more confused. "Didn't find much. I only got to search one room-"

"Which one?" Kagome asked.

"The one where you go to be cleansed," I told her honestly.

"The Purification Room?" Her voice was filled with surprise, her eyes wide in wonder. "Why that one?"

"I wanted to start there because you go in there with the High Priest every day, and I never hear of him going anywhere else in this Temple. To me, it made sense to start searching there."

Kagome clearly wasn't happy about me sniffing around in that room, and I had no idea why, but she stayed silent in allowance for me to continue.

"Anyway, I didn't really find much," I admitted. "Except I found these scrolls hidden under some floorboards. They had ancient writing on them, I didn't even recognize the kanji, but the papers were relatively new. That was some suspicious shit to me."

"What did the kanji look like?" Koga asked.

"I can show you." I went over to a table and got out a pen and a piece of paper. I sketched out a few characters I managed to memorize while Koga and Kagome looked over my shoulders.

"What the hell is that?" Koga exclaimed in confusion. "I've never seen shit like that!"

"Exactly what I said!" I agreed.

"I know this," Kagome whispered, her voice distant.

Koga and I both turned our heads to look at her. Her body was stiff and her breathing was too evenly paced for it to be normal. It was almost as if she was in shock, in a way.

"I mean, I don't know what it says," she clarified. "But I've seen this writing before. When I was younger, I learned about the history of priestess and monks. In the Nara period, government officials tried to control miko practices, so they developed their own version of kanji so they could communicate their plans in secret. This . . . hasn't been known to be used for years. It's curious as to why it is popping up now."

Koga and I exchanged looks at this. The shit that went on around here just kept getting _weirder_. I was curious as to how Kagome had survived this long at a temple that was filled with so many secrets. Did she just have dumb luck . . . or was someone keeping her alive and safe for a reason? And if someone had been watching over her the whole time, then why was I here? My list of questions continued to grow.

I felt a hand rest on the inside of my arm, drawing my attention. It was Kagome.

"Thank you for telling us, Inuyasha."

I read her real intention loud and clear: she was thanking me for including her. She knew I had to tell Koga, anyway.

"We'll figure out what the hell is going on," Koga cut-in. "I'll write the letter this time, Inuyasha, as soon as I get back tonight. It's about time I pulled some weight around her." He winked at Kagome teasingly and she giggled in return.

I was impressed I didn't lose my shit right then and there but there were pressing matters at hand. "No, don't write to our Master yet."

Koga's brow creased in confusion. "Why not . . .?"

"I just . . . I have a feeling, is all. I feel that we should gather more information before we trouble him unnecessarily."

Koga nodded in agreement. "You're right. We'll check things out more, then we'll write to him when the time is right." The wolf demon stretched lazily and began to walk towards the door. "Well, I'm off to stretch my legs. Call me if you need anything. See ya." He gave a farewell wave and slipped out the library door.

That left Kagome and I in the library. Alone.

Well, that's not awkward.

"Well," I said awkwardly, "I'm gonna go-"

"I want you to spend the day with me," Kagome interrupted before I could rattle off some lame-ass excuse to get away.

"Uh . . ." I blinked slowly out of confusion. "But I always spend the day with you."

"No, I mean," she let out of a frustrated sigh, "I want us to spend the day together, alone, without having any responsibilities to worry about."

I stared at her for a moment, processing what she was saying to me.

"Why?"

Apparently, my best reply to the woman that I was falling for inviting me to be alone with her was, _"Why?"_

Fuck, I was so juvenile again.

A light blush spread across Kagome's cheeks. "I just want to be alone with you for a while, since I don't have any business to attend to today. We haven't been able to relax in a long time."

She had a point; we had been busy every day for the past two months. Kagome was getting summoned to this village or that village, and that didn't include the village the High Temple resided in, nor the duties she had here.

Kagome was avoiding looking at me. She was preoccupying herself by fidgeting with the sleeves of her kimono, pulling at the threads one by one, the light blush still apparent on her cheeks.

I smirked at her nervousness; it filled my ego that she was nervous of my refusal. It gave me hope that maybe, just maybe, she really did want me back, and what I saw last night wasn't an illusion.

"Keh," I scoffed to cover up my joy. "Whatever you want to do, Kagome, we can do it."

Realization of what I said dawned on her face after a moment, causing a large grin to spread across her face. I folded my hands into my sleeves nervously.

A giggle erupted from the miko beside me. The only warning I had was, "Come on, then!" before I was being dragged by my arm out of the library and up the stairs. I noticed the direction she was taking me and I frowned, but still offered no resistance to her tugging.

"Ka-Priestess," I caught myself as I saw two priests rounding the corner, "are you sure about this . . .?"

Kagome offered me no reply as we stood in front of the door to her room. The young woman gave me a mischievous smirk before diving inside her room before anyone could see. I stepped inside as well, if only to keep from being noticed.

Definitely not because the thought of being alone in Kagome's room with her excited me.

"Kagome, is this allowed? Is there some rule against this?" I asked nervously. Now that I was here, I didn't want to leave, but I had to know so she wouldn't get in trouble if we were found.

"There's no rule that says I can't be alone with a man," she answered as she slid the door closed. "Just that I can't be intimate with one. Are we being intimate?"

"Not yet," I blurted out. Maybe that wasn't the smoothest response . . .

Kagome laughed as she slid the door closed and sat down on her futon.

There wasn't much to her room. She had multiple pillows surrounding her spacious futon that sat in the middle of the room. I suppose she was given the luxury of a large sleeping area when she wasn't allowed to have much else to decorate her room. Other than the futon, she had a decently sized bookshelf filled with from one end to the next with books. Behind a screen in a corner, I could see a small bathing basin (in case she ever wanted to wash off without having to go to a bath house filled with other women) with enough room for her dress and do her business in private. As far as I knew, Kagome did not allow any servant to dress or bathe her in the mornings or at night; she instated she do it all on her own. And other than a window, that was all to Kagome's room. It suited her simple needs but it still felt empty.

Lonely and cold.

Kagome patted the space next to her on the futon and I readily joined her, crossing my arms and legs. The pillows were left untouched as she hugged her legs to her chest, resting her chin on her knees. Her eyes were glossed over, as if she were in deep thought.

"What are you thinking about, Kagome?" I inquired.

It took her a few heartbeats to answer. "I'm trying to figure out why you kissed me."

I blushed. "I-I told you why-"

"No, I mean, why did you kiss me when you know that there can be nothing between us? Why would you kiss me when you know there is nothing I can do to return your feelings?"

I growled in annoyance. "You're talking about those stupid rules you have to follow again. Explain something to me, Kagome: how did you even come to be here? And don't give that bullshit of you can't tell me because things are different now and you know that."

Kagome sighed; she knew I was right. Things were different. That kiss brought out too many feelings for us to simply bury them now. For me to understand why she couldn't let herself fall for me, I had to understand how she came to be here and why she stayed, allowing her life to be ruled by some High Priest.

"I was born different," she began. "I was born with spiritual abilities no child should have developed yet. Now, I was no master in the arts of spiritual powers, but I had abilities most priestess have to work on for years."

"Like what?" I asked.

"Well, for example, I was born with the ability to see auras. Most people have to train in that for years."

I nodded, urging her to continue the story.

"Before long, word of my powers reached beyond the borders of my small village. At the age of five, a man came to visit me. A priest named Mushin. He told my family that he was from the High Temple, the temple that held the most experienced and powerful spiritual priests and priestess, and that the High Priest had head tales of a child that was able to eradicate barriers, see auras, and heal even that of a person's soul."

"You," I realized.

Kagome nodded. "Me. He also told my family that my existence meant that the Jewel of Four Souls had been brought back into this world, and that this would demons and other evils to the village in search of it. The priest said that I would be safe at the temple and would be raised to protect the Jewel, as it was my Kami-given duty.

"So, without hesitation, I was brought immediately to the High Temple with Mushin. My family gave me up in order to protect the village and also to keep me safe. When I arrived, I had an audience with the High Priest. They decided that I would live out the rest of my days here, to protect the Jewel. Each year as I grew older, so did my powers. I have brought back soldiers from the brink of death, I have cured illnesses those have never heard of, purified those who have been possessed by demons, and have done my duty unwaveringly for fifteen years."

"But aren't you pissed at your family for giving you up like that? They didn't even ask if that's what you wanted!" I roared angrily. What family would do that to their daughter? So what if she had powers no one understood? I would fight every day to keep Kagome with me!

Kagome shook her head. "I'm not angry. They did what they thought was right to keep me and the village safe. I cannot condemn them for that."

"Kagome," I gasped in awe. "You cannot be that pure-hearted. That's impossible . . ."

The raven-haired woman let out a small, bitter-sounding laugh. "I have to be that pure, Inuyasha. It's all I've known. I barely remember my life at the village, because I was so young when I left, but I remember everything I need to know here. I must remain pure. That means I can never feel wrath, jealousy, or regret. I can never indulge in earthly pleasures or wear makeup, jewelry, or clothing other than my priestess kimono that would enhance my beauty. That would cause vanity within me. That is why that day in the forest I told you I had never met someone like you; someone so free. Yes, you have your own code to follow with the Kyōdai ai, but you chose that life. I had my life chosen for me.

"And I can never . . ." She trailed off. Kagome swallowed hard, as if she had a large rock blocking her throat. "I can never be with a man. Not fully. I can never marry or have sex. The act would taint my body and love would draw my attention away from my duty. It just can't happen for me, Inuyasha. That it why you need to abandon any feeling you may have for me. They will do you no good-"

"It's too late," I interjected. I pulled Kagome closer to me, making her unravel from her ball so I could position her in my lap. She needed to hear this. She needed to hear it was too late for me. "I have tried to tell myself over and over again that you are nothing but an assignment for me to accomplish. I even tried to tell myself that Koga slobbering all over you didn't make me jealous. But the truth is, Kagome, I can't lie to myself anymore.

"I won't abandon these feelings for you. I don't want to. I understand that you can't allow yourself to be with me but you should know where I stand. I will stay with for as long as you need me to, I will be your friend and I will be your guardian, but you are going to have to look at me every single fucking day and know that I have fallen for you. I hope you can live with that."

"Inuyasha . . ." Kagome began to speak but bit her lip instead. I could practically see the turmoil that was storming inside her blue eyes. I wish this wasn't her life. I wish she had the freedom to follow her heart. I mean, in the Kyōdai ai I was not allowed to take a wife, but they never said anything about being intimate. We could be with anyone we wanted to, at any time as long as it did not interfere with a mission. This restriction was small compared to Kagome's.

We were silent for a few moments. I allowed Kagome to gather her thoughts; she needed time to think about what I had said. I would give her all the time she needed.

She obviously didn't need long to think, though, because before I knew it she was turning in my lap to face me. She said nothing as she cradled my face in her hands and brought her lips to mine. I was admittedly surprised by her initiating it, but I quickly jumped the fuck into action and kissed back.

The kiss was not demanding like the one from last night. It was soft, slow, and teasing. There was no desperation between us. We were alone; no one knew where we were. Kagome titled her head to change the angle of the kiss, even opening her mouth daringly. She made no move to continue from there. I was the one who had to lead from there. I pushed my tongue into her mouth and stroked hers slowly. I felt her shiver under my hands that were placed on her hips.

Kagome began to twist her tongue with mine teasingly and her body began to press even closer to mine as she grew more daring. Her legs were encircled around my waist, causing her heat to drift even closer to mine.

I wanted more. Moving over, I laid Kagome back on her mountain of pillows, my body covering her completely. Our breaths were labored and mingled, causing the air around us to become filled with our spiked scents. It was lulling me into a drug-like state. I didn't know where she began and where I ended in that moment.

Kagome wrapped her arms around my neck in order to draw me closer and began to suck on my bottom lip like candy.

"Fuck," I breathed out sharply. For someone who had no experience in this area, Kagome knew just what to do to push me to the edge. It was like she was born to drive me fucking _wild_. In light of this move, I couldn't hold back the jerk of my hips against her. The hard-on I was sporting should have made me ashamed but a part of me wanted Kagome to feel just what she did to me.

Well, the room definitely wasn't cold anymore. In fact, it was stifling in here.

I slid my hand under her thigh and lifted her leg up so I could grind against her at a better angle. I abandoned her lips so I could pepper her pale neck with sloppy kisses as I continued to rub against her like a dog in heat. I heard Kagome let out a whimper, but she made no move to push me off, so I didn't stop.

The higher our arousals climbed, the more power I felt crackled through the air. I was surprised I was able to sense it with the most beautiful distraction writhing under me. However, it rose to a point that even I was able to tear myself away from her neck. Our auras were doing something I had never felt before.

"Kagome?" I said sharply to gain her attention quickly. It took all of my concentration to tear away from the woman that was so wrecked beneath me, with swollen lips, mussed hair, and her miko garb slowly beginning to unravel, allowing me the tantalizing sight of the valet between her breasts. I swallowed hard.

"Hm?" she murmured in between kissing my jawline.

"Wh-where's the Jewel, exactly?"

The priestess froze. I understood. Pushing me off her, she sat up so she could look at me in the eye and fix her kimono so her skin was hidden from me once more. She grabbed my hand and my brow furrowed in confusion. Kagome brought my hand towards her and placed it on a spot that was just above her right hip.

"It's right here," she whispered.

My eyes widened in surprise. The reason why no one knew where the Jewel was, why no one could find it, no matter how high or low the temple could be searched, was because Kagome had it all along.

It was inside of her.

"Fucking Kami," I gasped. "Was . . . was it _put_ there?"

Kagome shook her head. "No. I was born with it. It's the reason I have the powers I have from a very young age."

"Who knows about this?"

"Just me, the High Priest, and now you. Inuyasha, this is my last secret. I am all but bare to you now."

My breath hitched in awe. Here was this woman, who owed me nor the world anything, but she was letting me into her world completely, knowing full well she shouldn't be doing anything that had transpired on that futon. Kagome wasn't abandoning her duty by being with me, I knew that, but I would be damned if I didn't let her experience life a little. I could do that for her. I could help her gain back some of the freedom that was taken from that child that day in the village. Kagome deserved that happiness. And if I was only one that could give that to her, then that's just what I was going to fucking do! I wouldn't let some stupid, sacred object or some stupid rules stop me from loving this woman.

As I said, it was already too late for me. I was giving Kagome her freedom but she had taken mine. My life wasn't just mine anymore; I had giving it away to her. Strange thing is, I couldn't be happier at the thought.

* * *

So I know the ending was kind of sudden, but for my own purposes, I had to end it like that. It will be continued in chapter 8.

 **Important note:** At the beginning of the chapter, I made a historical reference to the Nara period in Japan. I would like to say that during the Nara and Heian period, it is true that the government did control miko practices, but it is of my own mind that miko developed their own secret language to communicate. I just need to uset hat for my own story. Just wanted to not that!

Thanks for reading!


	8. Aftermath

Hellooooooo, everyone! I'm finally back! I'm sorry it took so long but I was having a tough time figuring out where I wanted this chapter to go. I am very happy with how it turned out and I hope you guys will be, too! especially with the beginning ;) Anyway, I know a couple of you left some review I would like to address, so to those people:

 **PureKagobae:** Yes, this story is still in progress and and it is still being updated! No worries about it being old or me dropping off the face of the earth and leaving it uncompleted. I am very excited to be writing it and hope I will be able to finish!

 **Larissa:** It was, in fact, the Jewel that Inuyasha felt and it was causing their auras to do that weird, sparking thing. Or was it? Mwahahaha, wait and find out! But yeah, he felt the Jewel, which is why he touched the spot there it is inside her body.

Well, that's all for author's not, folks! Read and review!

 **Disclaimer:** You know I don't own this shit.

* * *

"Are you done yet?"

"No, I am not."

" . . . Are you done now?"

"Did I say I was?"

". . . How about now?"

" _Inuyasha!_ "

"Okay, okay!" I laughed at Kagome's annoyance. She knew I was just giving her shit, but I really _was_ ready for her to be done picking flowers and whatnot. Well, not flowers, _herbs_ , but same shit, different pile. She had said at breakfast that her supplies were getting low and that she wanted to restock before heading to the village.

It had been a week since that day in Kagome's room and everything was normal. Well, normal, but with more making out. It was a lot of sneaking around, and a lot of restraint on my part, but Kagome never said she wanted it to stop, so I never tried to stay away from her. As far as my restraint, I was impressed with myself. Our . . . _fun_ never progressed past kissing and a little bit of touching. I often reminded myself that Kagome was sheltered and extremely pure in mind, body, and soul; I would never progress my actions farther than I already had unless she asked me to. I didn't want to push my luck or her limits. Though that did not mean things didn't get pretty steamy in my or her room. It left our scent in there for days.

The downside is, if I thought my dreams about her were bad before, they were even worse now. In my dreams, I could actually feel her curves, her lips, her skin . . .

 _Stop, Inuyasha!_ I hissed to myself.

Scanning the area as Kagome continued to go through the garden, I noticed that we were all alone outside. Koga was inside eating still, taking his sweet time since we weren't ready to leave yet. There were no priests or servants milling about the temple grounds either. It was quiet except for the breeze rustling the trees; trees that were barely visible through the heavy fog. Smirking, I realized that gave me some cover (from human eyes, at least) for what I was about to do.

My bare feet padded over the dirt silently as I took small, measured steps towards the unsuspecting Kagome. Her back was to me fully, her concentration on the task at hand. Pity I was about to break it. The little miko didn't even notice when I stood right behind her, my chest not a hair's width from her back. The breeze wafted her scent into my nose and I inhaled deeply. She smelled of her sakura blossom-scented bath oil. It was as addicting as the finest sake in all of Japan.

I slid an arm around her waist and dragged her into my body. Kagome let out a gasp of surprise, dropping her basket full of herbs. With my free hand, I raked my claws through her hair so I could brush the tendrils back from her neck. My pride swelled when a hickey I left there yesterday peeked from beneath the tresses. It was placed towards the back of her neck so there was no chance of anyone noticing and Kagome was careful to not tie her hair back. Fuck, I could drown in this woman if she would allow me the pleasure.

"What do you think you're doing?" Kagome questioned lowly. Her voice had dropped an octave.

"Appreciating the scenery that the Kami's have been so kind as to bless me with." I began placing small kisses over the mark I had left, a part of me wishing it was a different kind of mark. One more binding.

"I really am concentrating, Inuyasha," Kagome protested, but I knew she was blushing even if I couldn't see her face. "The longer you distract me, the longer it will take for me to finish."

"Maybe you should find out how long it'll take me to finish," I teased.

"Inuya-!"

"Shhh," I cut off her protesting shriek. "Just hush or someone will come running out here."

Kagome knew I was right and I felt her complacency as she relaxed into my body completely. I smirked at this; I was learning which of her buttons I needed to push so she could relax. Luckily for me, Kagome was big fan of neck kissing. However, I decided to be a little more daring and move away from her neck. Reaching up, I pulled down the part of her kimono just enough to where her one shoulder and a collar bone was exposed completely. If I tugged anymore, the top of her breast would be exposed, and I wasn't willing to let _that_ show outside. I had yet to even see what they looked like inside our rooms! I was not willing to show everyone else what was mine.

The priestess gave no protest. Only her breathing had begun to accelerate, so I did not cease my actions. I ran my lips over her shoulder while my fingertips ghosted over the skin of her clavicle. Kagome's head had fallen back to rest on my shoulder so I was getting a front row seat to the expressions flitting across her face when I shifted my gaze upward. What I saw nearly stopped my actions completely: Kagome was biting her lip, her teeth scrapping over the poor flesh, and a bright red flush had taken over her cheeks. Small whimpers were also escaping from her. I knew my touch could affect her, but Kami _fuck_ , I didn't know how much!

I tore my lips away from her shoulder with a feral growl. I brought my free hand up to hold her head still. I made her look me in the eye. Her usual bright blue had darkened considerably and her sakura scent was laced with a deep musk that was familiar to me now.

"Kami, Kagome," I growled lowly. "How do you do this to me? What the hell are you?"

It took a moment for her to give me the answer: "I'm yours."

My body jerked in response, pressing her impossibly closer to me. I began to dive for her lips, ready to devour her, ready to just give in to her . . .

"Hey, dog shit! Are you and the Priestess ready yet?" Koga shouted.

I froze, my mouth hovering over Kagome's as my ears twitched. Koga's voice was close but not close enough to where he could possibly see us. Moving quickly, I tugged her sleeve back into its proper place while I whispered in her ear to calm down. As much as I hated to do so, I stepped away from Kagome and put on the façade of annoyance, my arms crossed over my chest and a scowl on my face. Kagome moved to pick up her basket, scrambling to collect the scattered herbs. Whoops.

Koga was in the garden by then. Kagome had picked up all her herbs and was quickly picking out the last ones she needed.

"I'm finishing up now, Koga. I'm sorry for making you wait." Kagome's voice had no hint of huskiness; it was back to her usual chipper pitch. She held her basket under one arm and she dusted off imaginary dirt on her kimono.

"Not at all, Priestess." Koga grabbed the hand that wasn't holding the basket and ran his thumb over her skin. I was used to this by now, and while it did piss me off, I was able to control myself a lot better than I did before. "I was just worried that the mutt was getting too friendly."

Kagome drew her hand away from the wolf demon gracefully. "The only one who is getting too friendly is you, Koga. You best remember your place as my guard," she warned.

"Duly noted." Despite his words, this did not deter Koga. The shit-eating grin was still plastered on his face. He probably didn't even process her words because he's a dumbass like that.

"Right," Kagome said, moving the subject along. "Let me just get this herbs back inside so they can be stored and then we'll get going."

"Of course, Priestess." Koga turned on his heel to march back to the temple. Kagome and I followed suit.

Kagome quickly took the basket of herbs to her storage area near the dining hall. It was a type of cooler, containing ice, to keep the herbs fresh, even when the days were scorching hot. It was quite genius of her. We prepared to leave. Well, Kagome prepared to leave. Koga and I already had everything we needed for the day's trip; all I needed was Tetsusaiga and I was all set. As we were about to head out the temple doors, however, Hojo sprinted over to us in a mad frenzy.

"Priestess! Priestess!" he cried. The hysterical man skidded to a halt in front of Kagome, breathing heavily.

"Hojo," Kagome addressed him with a concerned tone. Her brows were drawn together in worry. "What's the matter?"

"I have a report," he began between pants, "brought down from the High Priest himself. There has been attack on a village, two days ride from here. The village is home to demon exterminators. The demon horde was too powerful for them to take on unprepared. Multiple known deaths have been reported but there could be more. Also injuries, of course. You are to head there immediately. I and a few others will be accompanying you."

Kagome nodded silently. She clearly heard everything Hobo said but her eyes were distant. Kagome's pure heart felt for everyone; she was a natural empath. Hearing about illness, fatal injuries, and death affected her greatly. I was punched in the gut with the sudden urge to hug her, to kiss her lips, make those blue eyes have light again. But I couldn't. There were too many people around to see. My fist tightened around the hilt of Tetsusaiga to restrain myself, my knuckles turning ghostly white. It was times like this that really made me realize the constant barrier between Kagome and I. I could touch her, kiss her, but I could never really _be_ with her. Not unless she left this life; I knew that would never happen. She was too important. I couldn't be too selfish with her- I couldn't have her in her entirety- but I could take my personal pieces of her.

The priestess' head snapped to Hojo, a dull, business-like matter painted her countenance. "Gather everyone up. I want us all gone in ten minutes. We can't delay our trip anymore that we already have."

"Yes, Priestess! Right away!" Hojo scampered off to do as he was ordered.

I never heard Kagome take on such an authoritative tone, and while it was a complete turn on, I also knew that she was deeply troubled. The raven-haired woman was always one step ahead of everyone, given her natural ability to sense auras. On top of that, she was just that _smart_. Most men didn't care for a woman that had brains on her, but the more I was around Kagome the more I realized it was a major part of what drew me to her. She had talked to me for hours on end about different theories she had read about the universe and how she was always craving to know more.

I was completely consumed by my feelings for Kagome. She was all that mattered to me now.

* * *

I had never seen such destruction before. I had seen the aftermath of human battles, and those were gruesome enough, but this was the work of demons. Fire had clearly rampaged through the village in this battle but a few huts remained standing and relatively unscathed. Bodies were burned and charred; they looked like shadowy figures, lying there on the ground, their blackened limbs reaching and twisting in a silent plea for help. Blood spattered the ground in haphazard patterns. There were even lost limbs and human entrails laying on the ground. The sight of it mixed with the smell nearly made me gag but I remained my composure. The people who died here deserved my best. It had already taken me two days to get here; these people did not need my hesitation.

"Priestess?" a voice behind me called softly. I didn't have to turn to know it was Inuyasha. "Are you okay?"

 _I'm really not_ , I thought. _These people were mutilated. While they put up a good fight, the odds were against them._ I wanted Inuyasha to hug me. I wanted to look away from this nightmare and lose myself in him. However, this was my duty. I could not turn away from my duty.

I cleared my throat to choke back tears that were threatening to spill. "I'm fine."

A priest serving directly under the High Priest, named Hideki, came to stand beside me. "The damage is worse than we feared. There doesn't seem to be single living soul in sight."

"That doesn't mean there aren't survivors," I countered. "I want the whole village searched. We will help anyone with injuries and honor their dead. I don't care how long it takes." I could feel an aura brushing against mine; there was at least one person out there alive.

Hideki, Hojo, and two priestess named Moegi and Botan accompanied me, along with Koga and Inuyasha. I was grateful for the help, especially the two demons, because even though this village was not the largest I had seen, there was a lot of work to be done.

We walked through the chaos in search of survivors, splitting up to search different areas. The aura I was sensing was drawing me in. I could sense it was very weak; whoever it was, they were severely injured. It was near a hut that I found who it was. The body was laying right in front of the doorway, like they were trying to get inside but had collapsed beforehand. My footsteps slowed until I was standing a mere foot away from them. It was a young girl, no older than myself, wearing a black and pink leather suit and long, brown hair spread around her. The fabric on her back was ripped open, revealing a deep, gruesome hole over her spine. The sight made me shiver. It was a miracle she was alive.

I knelt down beside the girl to observe her more closely. Her aura was sickly shade of green that was flitting in and out of sight, showing that she was barely holding onto life. Gently, I pried the fabric away from the wound in her back, the blood making it stick to her skin, so I could get a closer look of the wound. She let out a groan but her eyes remained closed.

I let out a gasp of surprise. She was responding! That was an excellent sign! "Hello? Are you okay? Can you tell me your name?" I knew I was asking too much at once but I was just so excited to see life!

"Castle . . . ambush . . ." she groaned before falling back unconscious.

"No, no, no, don't give up now!" I begged to the motionless body. "Inuyasha! Inuyasha!" I cried.

With his demon hearing, my guardian easily heard my plea and was by my side in a matter of seconds. "Is she alive?" he asked.

"Yes! We need to get her inside so I can treat her. The wound in her back is serious."

Inuyasha nodded in understanding. Carefully maneuvering her, he scooped her up as best he could without disturbing her wounds. The half-demon carried the girl inside quickly, and luckily for us, there was an undisturbed futon inside. Inuyasha set her down as I took off my satchel full of supplies. Luckily, I thought of the worst case scenario (which was laying right in front of me) and I had just what I needed for this.

"Go tell the others I found someone," I told Inuyasha. "If you find any other survivors, the other know what to do. If not . . . begin with the clean up. I'll come help when I can."

Inuyasha nodded silently before slipping out of the hut to do as I told him.

Not sparing a moment, I stripped the girl of her outfit so nothing would hinder me. As I worked, I thought of the vile things I saw in such a short amount of time. I held no preference for demons or humans; in my eyes, they were both capable of good and evil. But the reality was that demons were more lethal, more capable of total destruction than humans were. That came from their attribute of feeling emotions less. Most demons held no regard for human life, or other demons, for that matter. Don't get me wrong, I didn't think demons were incapable of feeling, but most chose not to care. Humans at least carried around some semblance of empathy . . . right?

I had to believe that every creature on this Earth was capable of caring. If I told myself otherwise, I would not be able to forgive the demons that attacked this village and put this girl in such a wounded state. But a part of me couldn't help but feel angry. I wanted to hate them. I wanted them to feel the pain these people felt.

This was the aftermath of war. It took everything you had until you were only left with your anger and your wounds. It took everything you valued until you were left bare. It made me realize how important the Shikon Jewel was. It could bring peace to this world. That's what the High Priest has been telling me for years.

The only problem is, if this was a war, who was waging it?

* * *

It took a whole day before the girl showed any signs of consciousness again. I was helping the boys and Moegi with the graves when Botan came rushing out of the hut.

"Priestess! Priestess!" she called as she ran. "She's awake!"

I stopped digging so I could turn toward Botan as I wiped the sweat off my brow with my white sleeve. My face, hands, and kimono were all splattered with dirt. "How does she seem?" I asked when Botan reached me.

"She's very weak," Botan explained. "Also, very hungry and thirsty, she says. I was changing her bandages when she woke up but I think it's best you go see her."

"I will, then," I said. I set my shovel to the side. As I did so, Inuyasha, who was standing behind me, inconspicuously brushed his fingers against my hand. It was a silent reassurance that he was still there for me. I appreciated the gesture more than I could ever put into words.

"I'll also get her some fresh water to drink," I continued. "We'll get her some food after we talk."

"Yes, Priestess." Botan bowed politely and took the shovel I was using to help dig.

I quickly headed to the hut, pushing the tatami mat aside so I could enter. I did not look at the girl yet, if I did I knew my emotions would get the best of me, so padded over to the basin of water and cleansed my hands and face of dirt. There was nothing I could do about my clothes so I left them as they were. I took a few deep breaths to compose myself before turning and observing her. She was laying down but her intense, brown eyes were trained on me. Her long, dark brown hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, curtesy of Botan. She had tan skin, I could tell, but it was slightly paler because of her wounds. She was strong; her aura was a vibrant green, meaning that she was very much alive but still greatly injured. She was already improving! It lightened my heart to see it.

"You're the one that found me," she wheezed, her voice cracked from thirst.

I nodded and immediately set on getting a fire going so I could purify some water for her to drink. "Yes. I am the Priestess. May I ask your name?"

"Sango."

"Sango," I repeated. "You're very strong, Sango. You have healed a great deal more than I anticipated from those wounds. Can you tell me how you got them?"

Sango remained silent and turned her head away from me to stare up at the ceiling. She clearly did not want to talk about it and that was fine with me. I would not push her.

"Okay," I piped cheerfully. "Can you at least tell me why this happened? It is clear that demons attacked your village."

Sango nodded. "They were sent here by an even greater demon named Naraku."

"Why is that?"

"Because the Shikon Jewel originates from my village, so he targeted us. But . . . he also mentioned something a priestess that protects the Jewel. He said something about sending her a message."

I swallowed hard at Sango's words. My fists tightened where I rested them on my thighs. So this was all because of me. Because I was born, people were being killed off like cattle. It was sick. What could was I doing if I couldn't protect the people I was supposed to be saving? And all for the sake of proving a point to me! Who was this Naraku? Why did he know about me? Unanswered questions swirled through my mind. I felt bile rise into my throat. I thought I was going to be sick from the thought of someone killing innocents just to get to me.

"Priestess . . .?" Sango called warily to me. I don't know what she saw on my face but it clearly made her nervous.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. "I'm so sorry about your village, Sango. I wish there was more I could do to help. But for now, I'll have to settle for helping you get better."

While I finished changing Sango's bandages and gave her some water, I realized something else. Yes, war is a terrible thing that causes innocents to die. But sitting right on front of me was something I had been missing all along: there was always a speck of light in the darkness of the aftermath.


	9. Origin

Hey, everyone! So, you guys ready for chapter 9? I don't think you are. Things are starting to get interesting!

And I would also like to send a shoutout to **GrapefruitWannabe** for always being an awesome review! Seriously, her reviews bring a smile to my face every time I read them. It provides such amazing feedback and helps keep this story going! So in light if her, I encourage you all to review!

Disclaimer: I do not own _Inuyasha_ or _Assassin's Creed_. Also, this chapter is a reference to episode 26 of _Inuyasha_ , so go check that out if it will help clarify things!

* * *

I bounced my leg in annoyance as I sat next to Kagome, who was washing off some clothes that we had brought with us. It had been ten days since our arrival to the demon slayers' village. The girl, Sango, had seemed to be the only survivor of the battle. All she had told us about the attack was that a demon named Naraku was the reason they were targeted, along with the fact that the Shikon Jewel originated in this village. Other than that, Sango had barely done anything other than eat or sleep. I was beginning to get anxious from all this sitting around. I couldn't stand it!

"Dammit!" I cursed loudly. We were sitting out of ear-shot of the others, including Koga, so we could speak freely between the two of us. "I'm tired of all this sitting around," I complained. "Has that Sango girl even gotten out of bed yet?"

"Her wounds were extremely severe, Inuyasha," Kagome spoke in a quiet, patient tone. "She's needed time to heal."

"Yeah, but she's lain around for ten damn days! I would have been up in three," I boasted.

Kagome shot me a scolding look. "You're half-demon. Of course you would have been up in that amount of time. Besides, Sango's suffering from more than just psychical wounds, Inuyasha. She lost her whole family and village in one day; she's having to nurse emotional wounds that may never heal completely."

"Oh, a wounded heart, huh?" I scoffed in annoyance. "Well, the best cure for that is vengeance and the best way to achieve that is to be out searching for that Naraku person, not laying around! Why don't we go ask her more questions?"

Kagome's calm face quickly turned into one of annoyance and anger. Reaching up, the dainty woman grabbed one of my silver ears and yanked, dragging me down to her level as I yelped in pain.

"What are you doing?!"

"Leave her alone, Inuyasha! Sango needs her rest but certainly doesn't need impatient demons pushing her! Let her heal and I promise, she will tell us when and if she is ready." Kagome released my ear and I straightened up, the appendage throbbing. I flicked it, trying to dispel the pain.

"Fine," I huffed. "I'll leave the fucking girl alone."

"Thank you," Kagome sighed and we fell into silence.

I'll admit, my feelings were a little hurt from her rough treatment, but I knew that I was being pushy. Sitting around just wasn't my style; finding the people that needed to be punished was. My training had ingrained that in me. Kagome knew that and her sensitivity over Sango shocked me a little. The priestess had seen hundreds of people hurt, and while Sango's situation was not to be belittled, I didn't understand why this was affecting Kagome so much. I knew Kagome was a natural empath, but she had never lashed out like that before. It was startling.

I flicked my ear again and I noticed out of the corner of my ear that Kagome's gaze had shifted to the moving triangle. She sighed, folded her last piece of clothing into a basket, and faced me silently. I didn't say anything as she tugged on my sleeve, wordlessly telling me to bend down, and I complied. I heard her sigh, her warm breath spilling over the top of my head.

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha," she murmured as she rested her forehead over my long, choppy bangs. "Sango just told me something that really has me rattled."

"What was it?"

"Just . . . promise not to freak out or get upset, okay? I'm just trying to tell you the truth about everything but I don't want you storming off in a mad rage either."

Yeah, like I could really hold any promises that involved me not getting angry. "Pissed off" was a natural state for me. "Okay . . ." I agreed hesitantly.

"As you know, Sango told me that a demon named Naraku led the attack on the village here. What I was reluctant to tell you, however, was that Naraku was trying to send some sort of message . . . to me."

"What?!" I hissed, jerking my head away from hers.

"Hold on!" Kagome exclaimed as she put her hands on my chest soothingly. "Let me explain something. I haven't said anything to anyone, because . . . I feel responsible for what happened. Whoever this Naraku person is, is obviously after the Jewel. I think the fact that this is the village where it originated just made this place a perfect target for him. Naraku may or may not know what I look like but he definitely knows who the Priestess is; he knows that she, as in me, has the Jewel. He wanted me to find this place, I think, to intimidate me, perhaps.

"All I know for certain," Kagome continued while staring at the ground, "is that this place was attacked because of me. Because I'm the protector of the Jewel. I'm all that is standing between the beings that want to use it for evil. I've had demons try to attack me before, when I was little, but they were not very strong and it was nothing like this. This . . . this was savage."

I could hear the sorrow in the young miko's voice. I was upset that she had bottled this up and not told me before, but it was plain to see she really did blame herself for what happened here. I hated seeing Kagome sad; I wanted to take all of the pain away.

Doing a quick scan of the area, I saw no one was paying attention to us, and though it was still risky, I grabbed Kagome's arm and pulled her into my lap. "Kagome," I rasped in her ear quietly, "you can't blame yourself for this. I know it may seem like your fault because this Naraku asshole is coming after you but you didn't ask for this. You didn't choose this life, like you said before, or what happened to this village. You're doing all you can to help this girl. If that doesn't prove that you are the kindest, purest person there is, I don't know what would."

Her body was still tense against me but her breathing was even, meaning she was calm, at least. Kagome wasn't about to freak out on me. However, the feeling of her body so tense against mine did not sit well with me. This was the first time in fucking _days_ I had been able to touch her so much; I wanted her relaxed. Leaning down, I ran the tip of my nose over the soft, pale skin of Kagome's neck. She let out a soft giggle and squeezed my head between her shoulder and neck from how it tickled her, but she did relax against me. Eventually, my innocent tickles turned into not-so-innocent, kisses and nips along her jawline. I was becoming inebriated on her scent of sakura blossoms. Before long, I knew I would be drowning in it.

My oh-so-professional Kagome wasn't having it, though. She gently pushed my head away from her and got up from my lap. She sent me a grateful look and picked up her basket of clothes. This signaled it was time to return to the real world.

"C'mon," she urged me to stand. "We need to take these back to the others."

Reluctantly, I stood, and followed her back to the center part of the village where the others were. We had gotten most, if not all, of the village cleaned up. The demon carcasses left over from the battle were disposed of and the villager's graves were dug and marked out of respect. Kagome and the others had performed a blessing to ensure their souls would find peace in the afterlife. Blood still stained the ground in some spots that had been the worst, but those marks would have to fade in time, and some huts still had damaged. But as long as the ones we stayed in were livable, we made Sango the top priority. Well, Kagome and the others made Sango a priority, but Kagome would always been my main focus. I patrolled the surrounding area hourly to be sure no demons were getting close.

So far, there hadn't been shit for me to get some action out of. No fighting, no making out, not anything.

As we were walking by the graves, however, I noticed a figure kneeling in front of one. Kagome must have noticed because she stopped walking, too. Without comment, she silently handed me the basket of clothes and quickly padded over to the figure. Luckily, I could everything being said with my demon hearing.

"Sango," Kagome acknowledged the girl as she walked over to stand by the demon slayer's crouched form. "What are you doing out of bed? You shouldn't move around until your-"

"The graves," Sango uttered, cutting the priestess off. "You buried all the villagers and marked their graves . . ."

Kagome just stood there, staring at her, until after a moment she slowly bent down to sit beside her. "It is my job as a priestess to make sure they, and you, are taken care of. I couldn't just leave them. That would have been wrong."

The two young woman fell into silence, both of them staring at the graves. I wondered what was going through Kagome's head in that moment. Her back was to me so I couldn't even see what her face looked like.

"Listen," Kagome said after a few minutes of silence. "I was wondering of you would like to come back to my temple with us? You could stay for as long as you like and could leave whenever you choose; I wouldn't make you stay. But of this Naraku person has attacked here once, I'm afraid he'll come after you to finish the job. I want to make sure you'll be safe."

I could see Sango give a light nod. "That's very kind of you."

Silence again.

"You . . . know of the Shikon Jewel, yes?" Sango asked tentatively.

Kagome gave a tense nod. "I do. You say it originated here?"

"Yes, it did. It's a story all the people in my village were familiar with. Do you wish to hear it?"

Kagome nodded.

Sango stood. Her legs wobbled a bit as she did so but she quickly regained her balance. "Then I will tell you," she said. "I will tell you how the Shikon Jewel came to be."

* * *

Kagome and I stood in front of a large mouth of a cave, with Sango settled like a sack on my back. It was still difficult for her to walk, and the birthplace of the Shikon Jewel was a good distance away from the village, so I offered to carry the demon slayer (Or, well, Kagome glared at me until I offered, but whatever). We had convinced the others to stay behind at the village. Koga was ready and willing to argue that he should come along, but Kagome insisted that she only needed me to go with her and Sango to the cave. Said cave was so dark you couldn't see anything from the entrance. I could smell the dampness wafting from the inside, tickling my nose and making me sneeze.

"There's a barrier placed on the entrance of this cave," Kagome stated, blue eyes boring straight ahead of her, seeing something the rest of us couldn't.

"Fucking great," I groaned. "So how do we get rid of the damn thing, then? Is there some form of incantation?"

Kagome let out a laugh, her small hand covering her mouth as it racked through her so hard her body shook.

I furrowed my brow in confusion. "What?" I snapped.

"There is no incantation," Sango replied over the sound of Kagome's laughter. "This place is a graveyard. It's useless to just look for a way in. At first, my villagers thought demons placed a curse to keep anyone from entering but we eventually realized _she_ is the one who is keeping people out."

"'She?'" Kagome echoed after her laughter had stopped.

"The person from whom the Jewel was born," Sango explained. "Her soul is full of sadness and regret and it keeps others from entering."

The priestess nodded. "Yes, I can sense that."

 _I'm still confused_ , I blanched.

"It will be easier to understand once we're inside. Go ahead, step through the barrier," Sango urged.

"Uh . . ." I took a hesitant step forward and turned my head to look at the demon slayer from the corner of my eye. "Are you sure?"

Kagome stepped up beside me. "Countless people have died over the generations over the Jewel's power," she said with sadness lacing her voice. "If whoever has erected this barrier feels that we show sympathy, they will let us pass. Here, I will go first just in case."

My ears drooped at the raven-haired miko's words. If anyone had sympathy for the people that had been killed over the Jewel, it would be Kagome. As the protector, she knew of the consequences this world suffered from its existence. _Kagome is a prime example of that suffering_ , I thought as I watched Kagome step through the barrier unharmed. I quickly followed her inside, feeling the tug of the barrier as I passed through.

We walked deeper and deeper into the darkness on a downward slope, feeling as if it would never end. It was so quiet that I could practically hear the air moving through the cave. It was like we were disturbing the most sacred place on Earth. _Which_ , I thought, _we very well could be._

Finally, the ground began to flatten out as we reached the bottom. I noticed that bones were beginning to litter the floor the farther we went. More and more greeted us until finally we stood at the foot of a mountain of carcasses. I heard Kagome let out a light gasps beside me. It had to be dozens of feet high!

"What the hell is that?" I blurted.

"There was a time when ogres, dragons, and other demons merged their bodies together to wage a battle," Sango explained as I kneeled down to set her on the cave ground. "They fought against one powerful human."

"That person inside the stalagmite . . ." Kagome gasped.

I followed her line of sight to see the figure of a woman atop the mountain of demons. "The demon has her inside its jaws!" I exclaimed.

"She is a priestess that lived many centuries ago," Sango stated simply.

"Look at the demons surrounding her! This priestess must have had immense spiritual power." My gaze slid over to Kagome, another priestess with power beyond her years. She was gazing up at the corpse with a sort of mystical awe in her eyes.

"The court nobles controlled the country at that time," the demon slayer began. "Wars and famine dragged on and on and countless people perished. Demons devoured the dead and the near-dead, and they were able to grow in great numbers. Many priests and warriors set out to slay them. But only one priestess, known as Midoriko, was able to purify demons' souls and render them harmless. She was considered the most powerful human of her time."

"She could purify and weaken a demon's soul . . .?" Kagome asked.

"Mhm," Sango nodded. "In her world, human, animals, trees, and even stones were all created through the four souls."

"Of course. "Shikon" means four souls. Hence, why the Sacred Jewel is also called, 'Jewel of Four Souls.'"

Sango gave Kagome a curious look. "That's right. When somebody does a bad deed, the four souls energize evil, and the person loses his way."

"In other words, a soul can be either good or evil, whether it be human or demon, and the Jewel takes on the energy of its beholder," Kagome clarified so I could keep up. Honestly, I was impressed I was able to pay attention this far in.

"That is why Midoriko was a formidable foe for the demons. She could purify their souls and render them powerless."

"So, what?" I scoffed. "She fought off a bunch of demons by turning them into utter weaklings! She fucking cheated, if you ask me. But her power didn't last very long, did it? I'd say she's a pretty useless priestess now." I smirked.

"She hasn't lost the battle yet," Sango said.

My smirk fell and I turned to her with a skeptical look on my face. "What?"

Sango pointed to Midoriko, or more specifically, a hole that was in her chest. "After battling for seven days and nights, that great demon you see there got its fangs into Midoriko. With her last ounce of energy, she reached deep into her own body for strength and seized the demon's soul, but in doing so, she forced out her own soul, as well. That is why that hole is in her chest, you see.

"What flew out of her was in fact the Shikon Jewel," she continued. "She wasn't able to purify the demon's soul. All she could do was seize and imprison it, along with herself. Although the flesh is gone, inside the Jewel a battle still wages between Midoriko and the demons. That is why the fight isn't over yet."

We all sat in silence for a while, staring at the priestess that had brought the Jewel into this world. I wondered how the Jewel came to be inside of Kagome's body. How was that even possible? I also couldn't ignore the connection between Midoriko and Kagome. Midoriko was considered a powerful priestess of her time and she created the Jewel; Kagome was now the protector of the Jewel and had immense spiritual powers for her age. It was . . . odd, to say the least.

I heard the shuffling of feet and I turned my gaze away from the ancient woman to see Kagome walking back to the entrance.

"Kagome . . .?" I called after her, unsure of why she was leaving so suddenly.

She gave me no reply, not even a glance, as she walked from me and the woman who created the one thing that kept her just out of my reach.

* * *

The next morning, we were preparing to depart. Botan and Moegi were loading up the carriages while Hideki, Koga, and I were doing some last-minute clean-up around the village. Kagome was helping Sango prepare to depart. They had been up for a while and I knew Kagome was having to help the girl mentally and emotionally prepare to leave. She would be riding in a carriage with Kagome since she was still healing.

We travelled pretty much straight through all day. I could tell everyone was anxious to get back to the High Temple, especially we two demons. (Honestly, Koga and I were just content with being able to move around on open road.) We stopped only a few times to eat and restock on water whenever we reached river.

During one stop, I approached Kagome, who was standing a ways off from the group to stretch her muscles in private. I could hear the two young priestess pestering her with all sorts of questions of healing and spiritual training, and Kagome was ready to have some quiet. I hated to disrupt that for her but I needed to make sure she was okay. I could tell something was on her mind.

"Hey, you," I greeted as I came close enough. "Finally get Thing One and Thing Two to stop bugging you?" I joked.

The miko let out a little laugh as she turned to face me. "I can understand their excitement and curiosity but I honestly don't see how they can talk for _so long_!"

"You're very popular." I smiled for a moment before letting a serious expression rest on my face. "Are you okay?"

Kagome nodded. "Yes, I'm okay. I've just been preoccupied with thinking about this strange connection I feel with Midoriko. We're similar in many ways."

 _So she had the same thought I did_.

"I can't shake the feeling," Kagome continued, "that I need to do some research."

"What kind of research?"

"I just have this feeling I need to look into my family history," she replied. "Like maybe I have this family member that knew Midoriko or married someone of her line. It's no coincidence that I have the Jewel now, after all."

I nodded in agreement. Maybe it could even provide answers for who was after Kagome for the Jewel or possibly answers about this Naraku person. It was a long shot but it was worth a try. "Then we should start as soon as we get back.

Plus that meant even more alone time with Kagome. I internally cheered. Maybe this trip wasn't such a bad thing after all . . .

"Hey!" I exclaimed, a thought suddenly coming to me. "Why did you laugh yesterday when I asked if there was incantation for the cave?"

Kagome let a small smile spread across her face. "It was funny to hear because most people tease priests and priestess about having chants that can, "fix anything." I was mainly laughing out of irony."

"Yeah, but I didn't know!"

"Inuyasha, in all this time you have known me, have you ever heard me say a chant?"

"Keh, no," I scoffed as a blush crept across my cheeks out of embarrassment. "Just shut up, wench!"

Kagome laughed, shook her head, and gave me an amused look before heading back to the carriage.

* * *

Translation:

Shikon=Four Souls


	10. Revelation, Part 1

First off, let me start by saying: I am so sorry! I have no good excuse for taking so long to upload other than that I've been trying to manage school, work, personal life, and trying to figure out where I wanted to go with this chapter. With that said, keep in mind this is a two-part chapter. I'll try to get part two uploaded as soon as possible. But I figured since you guys have waited long enough, you deserve a little treat! Now that high school is done for me and I'm graduation, I can finally dedicate more time to writing! Now, enough from me. You guys must be impatient. **Read and review!**

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own _Inuyasha_ or _Assassin's Creed_.

* * *

I had always been thankful for the large amount of records the temple's library held. If I ever wanted to research about the history of our country, about a famous historical figure, or even wanted a story to read, it was there. Whenever I wanted to escape my responsibilities for an hour or two or needed information, the extensively stocked room of scrolls and books never let me down.

Before today.

It had been two days after we returned from Sango's village. I decided to start my digging on (possibly) my own past as well as Midoriko's. Like I told Inuyasha, I felt a small twinge of a connection to the great priestess that created the Shikon Jewel. Maybe I was crazy, and I tried to tell Inuyasha so, but he was adamant for me to at least try to find something on her. Or, if I'm going to directly quote him, it would sound like this:

"What the fuck are you saying, woman? Just follow your gut and do some damn research!"

No one said Inuyasha was ever delicate.

I giggled at the thought and stretched my arms over my head, trying to release the tension in my muscles from crouching over the table for so long.

Koga looked over at me when I let out the small sound of laughter in the once-silent room. "Any luck?" he asked.

I shook my head and let out a sigh. "None at all. I'm beginning to think I won't be able to find anything about Midoriko. Or me."

To keep from raising suspicion, Inuyasha sometimes (and "sometimes" is being generous) let Koga watch over me without him while Inuyasha went to eat, rest, or sneak around the High Temple. Usually, he only let me be alone with Koga for forty-five minutes, tops. Honestly, my half-demon was too paranoid sometimes. It's a miracle no one caught on that we were involved.

"Maybe you should take a break," Koga suggested. "It's been almost an hour since you started going through all that shit. Aren't you bored?"

"I don't think reading could ever bore me. I might be a little frustrated, yes, but never bored."

Koga scoffed and strode over to sit beside me in the floor. "You really are different, you know that?"

I frowned slightly and looked over at him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean it in a good way," the wolf demon clarified. "You love to learn and read. You do what you can to help people and you do what you have to do without complaint. And," Koga said with a slight blush painting his cheek, "you're the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.

I blushed, too, but not from flattery. Had Koga always been so forward? "Ah . . . Thank you, Koga. That's very nice of you to say so."

"In fact, I've been thinking . . ." He trailed off for a moment before looking up at me. Koga had an intensity in his ice blue eyes I had never seen before. I could almost shiver from that gaze, had the blue eyes been golden. Koga reached over and took my hands in his. I couldn't help but notice the contrast between his tan skin and my pale hue. Koga, like Inuyasha, preferred being outdoors and it was plain to see. "I would like for you to be my woman."

My calm countenance quickly faded as I blanched at the wolf demon. "What . . .?"

"I know you got your responsibilities here, guarding the Jewel and all, but you won't be doing that forever, right? One day, you'll be done with all this shit and you'll be able to live your own life. When that time comes, I want you to come live that life with me."

He seemed very confident and prepared for this moment. "Koga, I don't know if I'll ever be able to be done with the Jewel. That all depends on the High Priest's plan for the Jewel." _And me_. "I could be here forever, if they need me."

"Come on, Priestess," Koga groaned. "You can leave whenever you want to, right? You chose this life. I just hope that one day," he squeezed my hand harder and leaned in, "you'll choose me, too."

 _Oh, you have no idea,_ I couldn't help but think. Koga was a great guy. He did his job to protect me diligently and had always been kind to me. But there were parts of Koga I didn't like. He was clearly prejudiced against half-demons because they were different. I had seen and heard him call Inuyasha too many things for me to just ignore it. Disliking someone just because they were different was not something I tolerated. I never said anything to him only because it kept peace between us. I detested conflict; it wasn't in my nature to start it.

I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I failed to notice Koga slowly leaning in to kiss me for a second attempt. But this time was different. This time I reacted. Quickly, I tore my hands from Koga's grasp and placed them on his chest, firmly pushing him out of my personal space.

"Thank you, Koga, for your . . . proposition, but seeing as how you surprised me with it, may I have some time to think it over?" I lied.

Koga blinked from surprise for a moment before a wolfish grin spread across his face. "Of course! Take all the time you need, Priestess."

"I appreciate it, Koga, really," I replied politely. I stood from my cushion abruptly. "But I think you're right. I do need a break from all this reading. You should take one, too; you haven't eaten in a while. Go get some food and I'll go find Inuyasha." I rushed out of the library, leaving a dumbfounded Koga staring after me. Another thing about Koga was that he didn't understand me. Granted, I never revealed to him what I had to Inuyasha, but something inside me didn't let Koga get that close to me. I always had a strong intuition about people; that same intuition was telling me to let Inuyasha in. And so I did, utterly and completely.

I was running so quickly to head to Inuyasha's room to see if he was there that I failed to notice a familiar red figure leaning against the wall, nearly hidden in the shadows next to the stairs.

"Priestess," the figure growled lowly.

I skidded to a halt a few feet away from him and slowly smiled. I found Inuyasha quicker than I thought I would; I should have known he wouldn't have been far from me. "There you are," I gasped in relief. My smile slowly faded when I saw him angry, glowing golden eyes amongst the shadows. "How much of that did you hear?"

"All of it," Inuyasha snapped but continued to kept his voice quiet. "You told him you would think about, did you? And what exactly are you going to think about, Priestess? Being with that wolf shit?"

I swallowed nervously. I was used to loud, explosive anger when Inuyasha was mad; the fact that he was calm made me feel more afraid than if he was yelling at me. "I told him that just to placate him."

"Really? Why didn't you just tell him that there is no way in hell you would ever be with him?"

"And what else? That I belong to someone else?" I challenged. Of course I could have told Koga no, plain and simple, but where's the fun in that? I had found that I liked it when Inuyasha got jealous; it made for _interesting_ results. Playing games like these was so unlike me but . . . I liked the woman that Inuyasha brought out in me. She felt fun and free and dangerous.

Inuyasha growled again, slightly louder this time. "Don't play with me, Kagome."

"Who says I'm playing?" I lied. "As far as Koga is concerned, and everyone else here, for that matter, I don't belong to anyone."

Before I could blink, Inuyasha was in front of me, his lips pulled back slightly so his fangs were in full view. His demon speed never ceased to amaze me . . . except for right now. I was a little scared to see where my provoking him would take him. But it wasn't scared in the way that I wanted to run; it was in the way that put anxious butterflies in my stomach.

Inuyasha reached up with a hand and slid it through the dark tresses of my hair, slowly coiling around to the strands at the back of my neck and gripping hard. He took a deep breath, like he was trying to control himself.

"Inuyasha," I whispered intently, "someone could see us . . ."

"You know I checked," he replied sharply. "Besides, I don't give a shit right now. It looks like I have to remind you."

I couldn't help but suck on my bottom lip when the teasing demon tugged on my hair. "Remind me of what?"

Inuyasha stepped closer to me; his body less than a hair's width from mine. So close, but not yet touching. He pushed his face near mine, those golden eyes boring into mine, and hissed, "That you're mine."

Once again using his demon ability of speed to take me off guard, Inuyasha swung me into his arm and sprinted up the stairs. I barely had time to release a yelp of surprise and quickly loop my arms around his neck for stability. He let out a small laugh at my reaction.

I didn't notice we had stopped until I was lying down amongst the pillows in my room with Inuyasha hovering over me. With just us hidden away in that room, and his intense gaze on me, I blushed a deep shade of red. Sure, we had been alone in my room before, and Inuyasha looked at me like that often, but this time felt different from the others. It felt more . . . intense. Feral, maybe? Words couldn't describe.

I licked my lips and broke the silence. "Inuyasha, I need to go check on Sango. She must be up from her nap by now."

"Sango will be able to survive without you for a little bit. The woman did survive a major fucking beating. Right now, it's you who needs to be taken care of."

"But, Inuyasha-"

"Goddamn, woman!" the annoyed man growled and swooped down to pepper my neck with kisses and licks. "Just shuddup."

I sucked in a sharp breath from his attentions and brought my hands up to bury them in his silver hair. Those tresses made me so jealous; they were softer and silkier than my own. It wasn't fair!

As Inuyasha's lips danced over the skin of my neck, that familiar burning spread all the way from my toes to my head, making me dizzy from the feelings he brought forth in me. The teasing man tugged on the material of my kimono so my shoulders were exposed, the cool air making me shiver. Moving his lips over, I tugged on his hair more roughly than I intended when his fangs nipped at my skin. He must not have minded my rough treatment because he let out a low, feral growl. I pulled his face up to meet mine and gently sucked on his bottom lip, drawing it into my mouth. I had grown more experienced and daring during my . . . sessions with him. Now I was no longer afraid to initiate kisses. The rest of it, I was still unsure of.

I was vaguely aware of the feeling of my kimono slipping farther and farther down my shoulders, but I was too wrapped up in Inuyasha dominating our kiss to fully register it at first. It wasn't until the cool air hit my breasts that I realized I was more exposed than I ever had been before in front of Inuyasha. I quickly tore away from the kiss and threw my arms over my bare chest, hiding myself from him. It dawned on me that the sneaky jerk purposely distracted me so he could untie my robes without me noticing!

"Inuyasha!" I scolded. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I told you, Kagome," he replied with an edge to his voice I had never heard before. "I'm going to remind you that you're mine."

"H-how?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer in the back of my mind. However, my innocence refused to let me think of it.

Inuyasha didn't reply with words. Instead, he slowly pulled my arms away from my chest and slid the kimono off the rest of my body. Seeing my skin was not a first for him; I had allowed Inuyasha small glimpses of myself whenever we were alone. But this . . . this was more than _anyone_ had ever seen of me.

I squeezed my eyes shut, afraid of his reaction. Afraid that he wouldn't like what he was seeing. Inuyasha had been with other women. He told me that much. (Luckily, he didn't go into detail. I didn't want to know any more than that.) It frightened me that I wouldn't measure up to them; I think I was actually quaking a little from the fear.

The soothing feeling of hands running up and down my sides made me open my eyes to see my half demon staring down at me like a child seeing a brand new toy . . . and that child couldn't wait to play with it. Despite that, however, Inuyasha's hands never left my sides and his eyes never left my face. They simply continued to caress me soothingly.

"Do you trust me?" he whispered.

I didn't answer right away. Instead, I chose to think about the question. I thought of the time that Inuyasha protected me in the woods from the kitsune demon. I thought of how he unwaveringly jumped to my aid, not only to psychically protect me, but to emotionally keep me safe and sane. He had always been the person I went to break down to, to vent to. Throughout my whole life, if I were to go through all of my memories, my best ones involved the man over me right now.

"Yes," I said. "I trust you." Inuyasha had earned that, at the very least.

The biggest smile I had ever seen erupted onto the half-demon's face. Those smiles were rare and every time I was rewarded with one, I couldn't help but return a wide smile of my own, no matter how embarrassed I felt. Inuyasha finally allowed his eyes to trail over the naked expanse of my body. I would never be able to describe that look; words couldn't justify it. With a single look from him, my body erupted into flame, both inside and out. My thighs clenched together instinctually when his eyes reached my core and heat spread through there so hot it hurt. I couldn't help but squeak in surprise when the half-demon's hands placed themselves on my thighs, a light _slap_ resounding through the room from the contact.

"Inuyasha . . ." I gasped when his fingers were _so close_ to the most secret part of me. Interesting enough, I wasn't embarrassed or afraid. All I could feel was that I wanted him to do something about this tight, volcanic heat building inside of me. I knew Inuyasha was the only one who would be able to quench that fire.

No one else. That could never be.

Fangs teased the area of my skin that covered the Shikon Jewel inside of my body. Those deadly teeth did not stay there long before Inuyasha kissed and licked his way over to my belly button, giving it a gentle peck that made me giggle, and down . . . down . . . He stopped at the top of my dark curls. I somehow managed to lift my head to look at him. When he lifted his eyes to mine, I saw that his usual sunny golden color had melted into a fire orange with red tinged the edges of them.

With a sort of feral desperation, he wedged his hands between my clenched thighs and tore them apart. The action didn't scare me; in fact, I found it unbearably attractive. I bit my lip to keep the moan that wanted to escape in. My head flopped back down to among my pillows; I suddenly felt a little dizzy.

"Look at me," Inuyasha demanded sharply. When I obeyed reluctantly, he growled, "Watch me. Watch how fucking much I'm going to love proving your mine."

"What-?" I was too late. As soon as the words left his mouth, Inuyasha planted that mouth over the folds of my vagina. The sudden contact made a loud moan escape me before I managed to clamp down on my bottom lip so hard I began to bleed. He mimicked the movements he made when he kissed my mouth on my folds.

I felt Inuyasha take his mouth from me. My brows furrowed in confusion and when I was about to protest, he moved up a little and raked his fangs over a particularly sensitive spot on me.

"O-oh, Kami . . ." My eyes widened to an unnatural proportion and I grabbed a pillow to stuff it over my mouth to stifle my scream. My lip was no longer getting the job done. My toes curled and my back arched as the growling demon between my legs continued to stimulate multiple areas of my nether region with his fangs, lips, and tongue.

That wicked tongue managed to slip inside of me, stroking my walls like they were made of the finest silk. "Fuck, Kagome . . ." Inuyasha gasped, his voice sounding broken and wrecked. "You're so fucking mine."

I nodded past the pillow. "Yes . . ."

I did not last long after that. Before I knew it, I couldn't hold my head up any loner, and my essence seemed to explode out of me. I was left in a pile of wailing, gasping human puddle of goo while Inuyasha lapped it up like the animal he was, growling all the while. My chest heaved frantically as my brain tried to catch up with my body. I could barely process what happened. Suddenly, I was feeling very . . . sleepy . . .

My eyes were drooping shut as Inuyasha crawled up to lay beside me, laying a kiss on the top of my head.

"How do you feel?" he asked quietly.

I hummed in my response, a small smile on my face as I repositioned my head to lay it on his chest. Inuyasha let out a small laugh as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders to draw me closer into his body. I decided then to let the sleep overtake me. I could check on Sango and go see the High Priest when I awoke.

"Get your rest, Kagome. You're going to need it. That was only the beginner's course."

* * *

Oh, god, that sucked ass. Please don't skewer me. That was practically my first lemon. Please **_review!_**


	11. Revelation, Part 2

Hi, everyone! Welcome back to _The Creed_! I know, I suck, I've been so long. But as you have read in the author's note, I have reasons. And, since it had been so long, I'm going to put a short summary of every chapter so far to refresh your memories! Please read!

1\. Inuyasha is introduced. He explains a little about the Kyodai ai. He and Priestess meet.

2\. You get to experience Priestess' cleansing for the first time from her POV. Inuyasha has to apologize for being an asshole and he touches Priestess on the wrist, leaving him wanting more.

3\. Inuyasha talks about his past briefly. He and Priestess head to an assignment to a neighboring village, where a woman has fallen ill. Inuyasha carries Priestess on his back, where they grow closer.

4\. They arrive at village. Priestess agrees to treat ill woman. Priestess goes off on her own to take a bath, where she is attacked by ill woman who is actually possessed. Inuyasha learns Priestess' real name: Kagome.

5\. Inuyasha sends off a report to the Kyodai ai. A week later, they write back, and Koga arrives to help Inuyasha protest Kagome. Jelaousy insues. Inuyasha searches for answers on who could be spying on Kagome.

6\. Inuyasha and Kagome fight over Koga and over keeping secrets from each other. Inuyasha searches the High Priest's room and finds ancient scrolls that he does not know how to read. Inuyasha and Kagome kiss after returning from the village that day.

7\. Inuyasha tells Koga and Kagome about the scrolls he found in the Purification Room. Kagome tell them the history of the strange kanji written on them. Kagome tells Inuyasha she wants him to spend the day with her and they go to her room. After talking, they kiss, and it is revealed that the Jewel is inside Kagome's body.

8\. More Inuyasha and Kagome kisses, but sadly interrupted by Koga. Hojo arrives as well and tells Kagome about a report of a village that was attacked by demons. Kagome and others ride to the village for two days, where they find complete destruction. A young woman is the only survivor. A day later, the girl awakens, and reveals her name is Sango. She tells Kagome that a demon named Naraku attacked the demon slayers because the Shikon Jewel originated in their village.

9\. The history of the Jewel and Midoriko is revealed by Sango, leading Kagome and Inuyasha to have more questions. The next morning, they depart the village to take Sango with them to the High Temple. Kagome tells Inuyasha how she will begin research of her own.

10\. While in the library, Kagome looks through books for answers. While with her, Koga offers for Kagome to become his woman. Inuyasha overhears this, and as a result, sexy times ensure between our favorite couple!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own the rights to _Inuyasha_ or _Assassin's Creed._

* * *

I awoke from my nap with the sun still shining through my window shutters. That was good; I hadn't slept all day and neglected my duties entirely. I tried stretching my sore body but something prevented the movement. I turned over and a smile crossed my face; it was Inuyasha. He was sleeping with his arms wrapped around me. I thought it was funny and sweet, too, how even in his sleep, he kept me close to him.

But I couldn't stay there for long; my duties waited me. I had to go see the High Priest and check on Sango. Oddly enough, even with my body sore, I felt like I had tons of bursting energy to finish my duties for the day with a renewed vigor.

It was time for me to get up. A much as I longed to stay wrapped up tight with Inuyasha in our own private haven, the responsible Priestess had to take over. Kagome had to become a shadow in the back of my mind. Slowly, I moved Inuyasha's arm from around my body to tuck it into his side gently. I padded across the room, plucked my sandals from the floor, and slid out of the room quickly so as not to disturb Inuyasha.

I decided to go see the High Priest first so I would not delay any longer. My half-demon was right; Sango could survive a little longer without me. As I made my way across the quiet temple, I couldn't help the light blush that spread across my check as I thought about seeing the High Priest this way: with my core still sore and tingling from Inuyasha's attentions to my body. It gave me a sort of thrill to hide a secret such as this right under the High Priest's nose. I wasn't the innocent Priestess everyone thought I was. This fact did not upset me as much as it made me happy.

I stopped outside the grand doors to take a deep breath in order to calm my mind. The High Priest was attentive and observant; if my heartbeat was unsteady or my cheeks held any sort of color, it would be noticed immediately. It was becoming harder and harder every day for me to bury my true feelings, the feelings of Kagome, and encompass myself in the persona of the Priestess everyone else knew and expected me to be.

I pushed the doors open and stepped inside. The brilliance and grandeur of the room never seized to amaze me; the wood always seemed to be freshly shined and the tapestries always clear of any dust. I immediately changed into my crisp, white yukata. The clothing covered my body completely except my head, hands, and feet. The only sounds that could be heard in the room was water running from the man-made waterfall on the inside and my feet tip-tapping down the hallway. When I arrived at the ceremonial pool, the High Priest was there waiting for me, sitting with knees bent under the High Priest's body.

"Welcome, Kagome," the High Priest greeted with a bow. "I was beginning to worry ye had forgotten about ye's duties."

I stood before the High priest with my back pin-straight, unwavering. However, I did give my mentor a soft smile. "I'm very sorry I'm late. It seems I spent more time reading than I meant to. Please, forgive me."

The High Priest returned my soft smile, wrinkles spreading with it. I had come to love that smile as if it were my own parent's smile; it was all I had known since I was a young girl.

"Of course, Kagome. Ye have always been known to love reading, even when ye were a child. However, we must proceed. Are ye ready to begin?"

I nodded and knelt in the pool. Once again, as I did every day, I fought my body from shivering against the biting water, biting my lip for the second time that day. Today, it was a priest and a priestess that poured the water over me while the High Priest chanted.

The chanting ceased after a few minutes. Or was it a few hours? Time always seemed to slow to standstill in this room. The High Priest's questions rained down over me as I was crouched in the water below them. Their stance over me reminded how powerless I was to control my own life and how my path was chosen for me.

"Do ye promise to uphold the beliefs of this temple?"

"I do," I answered.

"Do ye promise to fulfill ye's duties with honor and repute so that ye may serve the people of Japan to the best of ye's ability?" the High Priest continued.

"I do."

"Do ye promise to let go of all earthly pleasures in order to remain whole in ye's ability to do what must be done?"

"I do."

"Do ye promise to sacrifice yourself in any way possible, even if that means death, to protect the Jewel?"

I hesitated but forced myself to answer, "Yes . . . I do."

"Stand now, Kagome, and rise as a new woman," the High Priest finished.

I rose from the pool where I grabbed a towel that was folded there for me to dry off with. I appreciated the gesture. The High Priest nodded to dismiss the others, leaving us alone in the room. I said nothing, only continued to dry off as I waited for the High Priest to speak.

"I sense something is troubling ye, Kagome," the High Priest said. "Is there anything I can help ye with?"

"Well . . ." I hesitated. Could I reveal what I had learned in Sango's village? Could I reveal what had been plaguing my mind for two days now? After all, the High Priest could hold the answers I have been longing for. "There is one thing. Something Sango told me about in her village."

The High Priest arched a gray eyebrow, indicating interest. "Yes?"

"While we were there, Sango showed me a cave in her village. It was the cave in which the Shikon no Tama originated from. She told us that a great priestess, known as Midoriko, had fought many demons there and sacrificed herself to stop them. In the process, she cast her soul and the demon's into a crystallized form. Thus, the Jewel of Four Souls was born. I was just wondering if . . . I had a connection to Midoriko somehow."

The High Priest's eye glittered in the candlelight but I could not tell with what. "You should not be asking questions-"

"Please, High Priest!" I exclaimed, cutting off the sentence that I did not want to hear. I wanted answers; I had been living in ignorance for too long. "If I am the protector of the Jewel, then lease allow me to ask questions about where it came from! Why is it inside my body? How come I was never told of its origin? What is my connection with Midoriko?"

The High Priest stared down at me without saying a word. Did I overstep my boundaries? Would I be reprimanded for simply wanting answers? I had never been reprimanded in my life. Then again, I never bothered to ask questions until . . . My brow furrowed I thought. Was it Inuyasha's strength that made me want to know more? Was he giving the confidence to question the life I had been chosen for?

I heard the figure above me let out a heavy sigh. "It was only a matter of time before ye wanted to know more about the Jewel. I can't say that I am surprised. I do apologize for not telling ye sooner."

I shook my head. "It's okay, really, but I am ready for answers, High Priest."

The High Priest nodded and began. "Yes, it is true that Midoriko is the creator of the Shikon no Tama. As ye know, the Jewel increases the user's power exponentially, making them a formidable foe. It has been hundreds of years since Midoriko died and ye are the first one in fifty years strong enough to keep the Jewel purified. But there is one thing that is different about ye from the other protectors of the Jewel," the High Priest rasped.

"And that is . . .?"

"When ye first came to us, I took it on myself to look into ye's ancestry," the High Priest explained. "I had never heard of a person being born with the Jewel inside of them. That is, until I heard about ye. So, after we brought ye to the temple, I did some research."

"What did you find?" I urged. I was practically buzzing with anticipation; this was the closest to answers I had ever had in my life!

"That ye are a direct descendant of Midoriko."

The revelation hit me like an arrow in the chest. It was something I could have seen coming but having it said out loud was still a shock. I didn't know how to react! I was relieved I finally knew the truth, that I was finally getting some answers, but I couldn't help but feel angry. It was a feeling I had never felt before in my life, as I was not allowed to feel negative emotions such as jealousy, resentment, or anger. However, I couldn't help it. My whole life had been hidden from me. My purpose in this world was vague and simple: protect the Jewel and keep it pure. I was never told why it had to be me, not exactly. There were plenty of powerful and pure Priestesses and Priests in Japan that could protect the Jewel just as well as I could.

But now the truth had been lain out in front of me: because I was a direct descendant of Midoriko. I had the blood of the most powerful warrior priestess to ever live flowing through my veins, pumping my spiritual powers into me. This knowledge gave me a feeling of pride to be related to such a powerful woman but it grieved me that I would not live up to her reputation. I had never been taught to fight or defend myself; I only had random bursts of power when I was in immediate danger. It wasn't fair that I had been kept in a cage like a bird my whole life!

"High Priest . . . why didn't you tell me this before?" I murmured as I slowly raised my head.

The figure above me hesitated before saying, "I did not feel that ye needed to know-"

"About my own life? About my own family? About why I have to be the one that gets to be stuck with this Jewel inside my body that controls every aspect of my life? My voice grew louder as I spoke but I could not, or maybe I _would not_ , stop myself. I put no barriers on my actions this time.

"Kagome!" the High Priest gasped. "Ye will lower ye's tone immediately!"

"No!" I shouted as I shot to my feet with my fists balled up. "You had no right to keep this from me! This is my life, High Priest, and if I am to guard this . . . this . . . _thing_ until I die, then I deserved some answers long before now! You . . . You had no right!" I knew I was repeating myself but I was so furious that I couldn't think of anything to say that could express what I was feeling. Instead, I opted for storming down the hall, changing back into my priestess garb, and throwing myself out of the Purification Room that felt more like it existed to poison me.

* * *

A man moved to stand beside the High Priest, his arms folded across his chest and a sad expression on his face. "Should we move the plan into action now?" he asked.

"I think," the High Priest replied, "that it is time we write to the Kyōdai ai. Tell them to send their strongest demons to the village tomorrow. That is where Kagome will be, I am sure of it."

The man bowed deeply. "As you wish, High Priest."

* * *

This had to be my shortest chapter yet but I felt that was a good place to leave off! A little cliffhanger, no? Plus I was very anxious to get this out to you guys! Read and review, everyone!


	12. Wind

I'M BAAAAAACK! Jesus, it's been too long. But hey, I started college, and so I'm trying not to fail my classes! So I hope you enjoy this chapter to make up for the long wait. Anyway, enough with introduction, on to chapter 12!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own _Inuyasha_ or _Assassin's Creed._

* * *

"And the High Priest said that I'm a direct descendant of Midoriko! That's the only explanation I know of to explain why I was born with these powers and with the Shikon Jewel inside me."

I took in all that Kagome was telling me. I didn't realize I had fallen asleep until I woke up to find that the priestess who had been beside me was gone. At first, I started to panic, but then I realized that she was either with Sango or at her cleansing and there would be no need to tear this whole fucking temple apart to find her.

And, of course, I had been right. She had stormed into her room in a rage I had never seen my raven haired beauty express before. I noticed that Kagome was slowly becoming more human; less like the seemingly-composed priestess I had first met. I liked her better this way. She seemed freer. However, that also meant she displayed anger more willingly, and that was scary as hell. Kagome wailed about how she was the first one in fifty years strong enough to keep the Jewel pure and how the High Priest knew all along why Kagome had this fate thrusted upon her.

I blinked slowly, trying to process what exactly she had said. "You . . . are Midoriko's descendant?"

Kagome nodded vigorously. "I can't believe the High Priest never told me! It's insane! This is my life and I deserve a right to know."

I growled lowly. She was right, Kagome did have the right to know. In my opinion, if you weren't going to give someone a choice, at least explain why they didn't have one. The words that Kagome said to me once: I chose the Kyōdai ai. I had a choice in the life I live; she did not. It was the number one thing that got me about Kagome. She may be angry that the truth was hidden from her, she may wish he could be a normal woman, but even through all that, she carried out her duties every day to keep the Jewel purified. It was amazing. The woman had more balls than I did sometimes.

I sighed heavily, drawing Kagome into my side. "What do you want to do now, Kagome? You wanna leave? You wanna run away from all this bullshit?" Because, honestly, I would run away with her in a goddamn heartbeat.

The priestess let out a little laugh beside me but shook her head. "No," she sighed. "I don't want to leave. I can't."

"Okay, well, I can't let you sit here in misery so what the hell do you want to do?"

Kagome let out a little laugh and looked up at me, brown eyes locking with mine. "Can we go out? Just you and me? No Koga, no Hojo, no one but us?"

I blinked in surprise at the bold suggestion but smiled nonetheless. "Yeah, we can do that. Where do you want to go?"

"The village. The woods. Somewhere no one will find us."

I nodded; I understood her need to get away from this fucking place. "Alright," I agreed. "Go check on Sango and make it fast. Meet me back here when you're done."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "In my room? Why?"

"Just trust me, okay? And if you take long than fifteen minutes with Sango, I'm barging in to drag your cute little ass out of there."

* * *

I bounded through the forest with Kagome on back. I reveled in the sound of her little gasps every time I leapt onto a tree branch and back down again. I shouldn't have been showing off my abilities this much; I knew the Kyōdai ai wouldn't approve of it. But it got Kagome and I to our destination faster and I also knew that Kagome liked riding on my back. However, it was a little difficult for her considering the kimono she was wearing. Before we left, I had her wear one I had, well, _borrowed_ from one of the other priestess' rooms. Kagome owned no other kimonos because, as the protector of the Jewel, she was not allowed to own clothing that could make her feel vain. Not that Kagome needed any special clothing to make her beautiful but I wanted to make her feel special. She also tied her hair up and away from her face, leaving only her bang and a few wavy tendrils loose, exposing her neck in the most tantalizing of ways.

"Where are we going?" Kagome shouted over the rush of the wind.

"You'll see when we get there, Priestess," I teased.

I could practically feel blue eyes boring into the back of my head. "That's not funny, you know. You sound like . . . Koga," Kagome sneered into my ear.

The appendage twitched from her breath tickling it and I growled darkly, "Don't compare me to that fucking wolf shit."

"Then don't call me Priestess when we're alone." I felt the edge of my ear being nipped by little, playful teeth, and this time I forced myself to suppress my growl. She was already pressing my buttons and we hadn't even left the High Temple for ten minutes!

It wasn't long before we came up on our destination: the village. I set Kagome down on the ground and she came to stand beside me.

"Why are we here?" Kagome asked with a furrowed brow.

"Because tonight," I explained, "they're having their cherry blossom festival." Taking Kagome's hand, I led her out of the edge of the forest and into the village. The trees were in full bloom, and with a light breeze ghosting through the atmosphere, little, pink, blooming cloud slowly floated down to the ground. Turning my gaze down to the woman beside me, Kagome's crystal eyes were wide with wonder. She took in everything around as if she were a child seeing the world for the first time and, in a way, she was. The young woman took in the trees dotted with pink flowers, the huts decorated with lanterns, the children running through the streets and their parents scolding them to stay out from underfoot, and the merchants trying to make a decent yen off of the celebrating customers.

"It's so beautiful . . ." Kagome gasped in awe.

I couldn't help the small smile that spread across my lips. Tucking my fingers under her chin, I made Kagome look at me. "You're not the Priestess tonight, alright?" I told her sternly. "You're just Kagome. If you want a necklace, buy it. You want a kimono? Buy that, too. I don't give a shit as long as you have fun."

Kagome's smile was the brightest I had ever seen it and the next thing I knew, her arms were wrapped around my neck and she was crushed against my body. "Thank you, Inuyasha," she whispered.

I couldn't see her face but her tone gave it away. All I could think was, _I did it. I made this woman who has given everything to a world that she owes nothing to feel like she means something. Something beyond just a symbol; that she meant something as a woman._

She released her hold on me and gripped my hand in hers tightly. "Come on!" she exclaimed before dragging me into the bustling village. We headed past the huts to walk through the village center where the merchants were set up. Painted scrolls, jewelry, fine silks, and even kimonos. Those were what Kagome focused on the most. I usually ran around in my red Robe of the Fire Rat, because it was something my mother had given to me before she passed, but it never occurred to me that something as simple as choosing what clothes you wear could make a huge impact on someone else. I never really thought of the fact that Kagome had to wear the same damn kimono every single day.

They gave her no choice over something as stupid as clothing. This woman made me feel . . . humbled and calm and cheerful. All things a half-demon like me wasn't supposed to feel but wasn't necessarily going to fight.

"Do you like that kimono, child?" a raspy, old voice broke me from my thoughts. Kagome was standing in front of an old woman with a kimono stand, her wrinkles on her face making her mouth look like a constant smile and her eyes squinted.

The object of my affection had her eyes on a silky, green kimono with cherry blossoms on it. It was particularly fitting for the occasion.

Kagome, her blue eyes fixed on the material, nodded and said, "It's beautiful . . ."

The old woman's smile widened. "Then why don't you take it? A beautiful young woman like you should have a kimono that befits her beauty."

"No, no, I can't-"

I cut off Kagome's protests. "Kagome," I snapped, making her head whip to me. I shot her a stern look. "Don't argue. Take the damn thing."

Her mouth shut with a _click_ before turning back to the old woman and nodding. The old woman smiled before folding up the kimono into a neat little square and handing it to Kagome. The young priestess hugged the silk to her chest, a secret smile gracing her lips. I urged Kagome on. We bypassed more merchants, and while they offered Kagome paintings and jewelry and makeup, Kagome denied them all. She seemed to be utterly and completely content with the kimono she received.

After that, we decided to explore the rest of the village. Kagome talked to a few villagers as she really was: a normal human girl. Not the Priestess everyone knew her as. Of course, they did not realize they were the same person, with Kagome being out of uniform and acting completely different. As we traveled farther, we came upon a stream where children were playing. They were splashing each other back and forth, giggles resounded through the air. They were laughing and having fun, except for one.

I wouldn't have noticed that child had I not seen that Kagome had left my side and was approaching a small, crouched figure a few feet away from the river. I didn't approach but I swiveled my ear to listen to the conversation.

Kagome knelt beside the child. "Hi, little one. What's your name?"

"Y-Yuri . . ." It was a soft, little voice.

"What are you doing over here by yourself, Yuri?" Kagome inquired.

"The bigger kids were picking on me 'cause I'm too little to play with them . . . so I decided to hide over in the dark," Yuri sighed.

Kagome went silent, most likely to contemplate the situation. After a few moments, she said, "Well, I would like you to play with me. Is that okay with you?"

I couldn't see Yuri's response but I could hear the rustling of clothes and the padding of two small feet across the grass. Turning my head, I saw the pair heading towards the river, a little ways away from the other kids. I watched as Yuri jumped in with a giggle and Kagome roll up the bottom of her kimono a little, exposing much more of the skin on her creamy thighs. One of the perks of being a half-demon is that, even in darkness, my eyesight is still highly keen and I'm still able to see detail.

Tonight, I could see the water droplets from the river splash onto the grass, the reflection of the stars on the water like decorative lanterns, and the way the moon casted the shadows of the ripples onto Kagome's skin, the sight nearly making my mouth water. It was all I could to simply sit there in the grass and watch, instead of going to the young priestess. But Kagome was making Yuri happy; the little girl was laughing gleefully as Kagome splashed her, and in turn splashing Kagome back. They did for a few seconds, minutes, perhaps even hours. Seeing Kagome be this happy and free spirited seemed to make time intangible.

When Yuri announced that she was sleepy and ready to go home, she led us to her hut where he parents greeted her with a hug and voices of concern as to where she had run off. Kagome politely explained that she was down at the river playing and that she was watching over her.

Yuri's mother squinted her eyes at Kagome when she was finished talking. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

I tensed as Kagome blushed at the question.

"N-no . . . I'm not from around here. I'm just passing through."

The woman stared at Kagome for a moment longer before shrugging and smiling. "I guess you have one of those faces. Thank you so much for taking care of my Yuri and bringing her home."

Kagome smiled warmly at the couple. "You're very welcome. You have a beautiful daughter." She knelt down in front of Yuri and drew the child into a hug. "You're a very sweet girl, Yuri. I'll come visit you again."

Yuri wrapped her tiny arms around Kagome's neck and buried her face in Kagome's raven hair. "Thank you, Ms. Kagome. I'll miss you until you come back."

They held on for a moment longer before Kagome drew back and wished the small family a goodnight. After that, Kagome announced she was ready to head back to the High Temple. Judging by the darkness of the sky and the amount of stars that could be seen, we have been gone for a few hours, and Kagome did have to be up early in the morning. Grasping my hand (we could actually show affection in public tonight), we headed back to the only place Kagome had ever called home.

"Thank you for tonight, Inuyasha," Kagome said quietly. "It felt nice to be able to go to the village and be myself."

"You looked like you had fun," I acknowledged. "I just got lucky the cherry blossom festival was tonight or else we would have been shit out of luck."

She giggled. "Staying with you in my room would have served just as well."

I let out a low growl and quickly nuzzled Kagome's neck, secretly inhaling her scent as I did so. "If we would have stayed there, you would have become my dinner."

A blush spread across her cheeks and her heartbeat picked up. "Really . . .?"

"Mmm," I hummed and turned my head to look the raven-haired woman's in the eyes. "In fact, we might have time-" I stopped and sniffed the air. Before, there was no wind, no breeze, nothing rustling the trees, but now a noticeable and strong wind started to gust through the air. Also, there was a scent travelling through the air: a scent I had smelled before but yet was not too familiar with.

I grabbed Kagome's arm to stop her from walking, my nose still working in overtime.

"Inuyasha?" she asked worriedly. "What's wrong-?"

"Shh," I silenced her. "Get behind me and don't say a word."

Doing as she was told because my tone left no room with argument, I felt Kagome grip the back of my robe and plaster herself against me.

Barely a minute later, I heard something swirling above us, seemingly moving with the wind. Looking up, I saw someone riding on a giant feather, flying down, down, down until the figure landed a few feet from us. It was woman. Her eyes were glowing red through the darkness and she was dressed in a purple and white kimono that went down to her ankles. Her midnight-black hair was tied back into a tight bun and she held a fan in her hand. Her countenance was marred by a sinister smirk that made her beautifully demonic features disgustingly evil.

"Who the fuck are you?" I snapped.

"I am Kagura of the Wind." Her smooth voice slid over us, the pure evil rolling off of her in waves.

"Great," I said. _Because that explains anything_ , I thought dryly. "Now what the fuck do you want?"

"That girl behind you," Kagura said, jabbing her finger at Kagome, "is the great priestess that guards the Jewel of Four Souls. My master demands I bring her to him."

"Oh yeah? And why don't you tell me who your master is?"

Kagura sneered and opened her fan with a smooth flick of her wrist. "Chatty little half-demon, aren't you? Well, you'll be silenced soon enough!" With a dramatic wave of the fan, the wind demoness summoned gusts of air that took the shape of blades.

Scooping Kagome into my arms, I quickly jumped out of the trajectory of her wind. I bounded over to the tree line and deposited Kagome behind a tree. "Stay here!" I ordered and jumped away from her before she had time to argue.

"Are you done playing around, half-demon? I have no time to waste on you," Kagura drawled lazily.

"Lady, I don't know who the hell you are or where the hell you came from," I said while drawing Tetsusaiga from its sheath, "but if you're trying to get to her, you're gonna have to go through me!" I charged forward with Tetsusaiga ready to strike.

Laughing, Kagura once again summoned her wind blades. "Dance of Blades!"

I jumped up to dodge them, flipping and diving toward Kagura, swinging my sword down to strike her with a roar. A loud bang resounded through the air when the sword made contact, but when the dust cleared, I had hit nothing but earth.

 _Damn, where did she go?_

"Dance of the Dragon!" The shout echoed through the air and a giant, swirling tornado came rushing right for me.

Once again, I leapt upwards, right over the tornado.

"Huh, you're predictable, half-demon! Dance of Blades!" Kagura aimed her blades right for me and me, free-falling in mid-air, could do nothing to move out of the way. Dozens of blades sliced my body, the stinging pain coursing through my body. I clenched my teeth to keep from crying out from the sting.

"Inuyasha!" I heard Kagome screech.

I tucked and rolled my body along the ground, jumping up onto my feet to face Kagura.

"Inuyasha, is that your name?" Kagura mocked. "How very fitting for a half-breed such as yourself."

"Why don't you quit your yapping and give me a real challenge, huh?" Even though my words were brave, I couldn't stop my breath from panting. It was as if her blades left behind a sting in your body that continued to spread. However, I felt Tetsusaiga pulse in my hand and my gaze snapped to it.

 _Is Tetsusaiga . . . telling me something? What do you want me to do?_

Kagura was preparing for another attack and the next few moments seemed to flow in slow-motion.

"Dance of the Dragon!"

A sort of energy was flowing around Tetsusaiga growing and growing until I could see a lightning scar meet between the two swirling winds of energy from my sword and Kagura's wind. A metallic smell reached my nose. I gripped Tetsusaiga tightly in my hands and raised it above my head. I waited and watched. For what, I wasn't exactly sure, but my instincts were leading me in this.

Kagura's tornado drew nearer and I knew it was time. "WIND SCAR!" I yelled as I swung the blade down along the spot where the swirling winds of air collided.

"What?!" Kagura exclaimed in surprise as I watched lighting-like streaks slide across the ground to crawl toward the demoness. The loud, thundering attack filled the air with light so I lost sight of my opponent.

When the dust finally cleared, I could see no sign of Kagura of the Wind. "Guess that's the end of that bitch," I chuckled, despite the tiredness in my body. Sheathing Tetsusaiga, I thought, _I never knew I could do that . . . When my old man left me this sword, I thought it was just a normal blade. It looks like I barely knew anything about it._ Turning to face the woods, I called out, "Kagome? Are you okay?"

I heard small feet tap across the grass until I saw her emerge from the woods. Her blue eyes were wide in shock and her mouth drawn into a tight frown. "Inuyasha . . . are you okay?"

I nodded. "Heh, these are just scratches-oomph!"

Kagome barreled herself into me, drawing me into a tight hug, and I heard a whimper escape her. "You had me worried! I had no idea you could do that!"

With a small smile, I wrapped my arm around her tiny body, bringing her closer to my body. "I didn't either," I admitted and glanced down at the hilt of Tetsusaiga. Wincing when the pain hit me from Kagome squeezing me, I reluctantly pushed her away. "We need to leave. I don't want any more freaks like her heading our way if they catch your scent."

Nodding, Kagome looped her arm around me in order to support me, and I applied a little bit of weight onto her shoulder to make her think she was _actually_ helping me.

"So . . . I guess we can't have any more fun tonight with your injuries?" Kagome joked.

I chuckled and shook my head at the little priestess, but I couldn't help but wonder . . .

 _Who's sending demons after Kagome?_

* * *

 ** _Author's Note:_**

So to be honest, I didn't take the time ti research specifics about Japan's cherry blossom festivals; I just picked a festival on the internet to fit my needs. Don't burn me alive for any inaccuracies. Also, as you can see, I'm bringing more characters into the mix . . . kind of makes you wonder who else I'll pull out of my hat, haha. Anyway, **read and review** and let me know if there's any typos anywhere. I didn't exactly have time to proofread in an effort to get this chapter out to you guys before I went to bed; after all, I have to wake up at 6:30 the next morning!


	13. Mate

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Inuyasha_ or _Assassin's Creed._

* * *

There was a knock on the library door and I looked up from my scroll at Inuyasha, who was standing guard by. Sango also looked up from her position beside me. The half-demon gave a sniff and opened the door, allowing Koga to enter swiftly. He was dressed in a more casual version of his wolf-skin armor; he had taken off his metalplates on his shoulders and there was no katana swinging from his hip.

"I got your message, Mutt. What's going on?" Koga questioned as he entered.

"Thank you for coming, Koga. We have something important to tell you," I addressed him in the formal tone I used in my Priestess facade, making him flip his gaze over to me.

He must have seen something in my face because he ran over to kneel by my side before I could blink. "Priestess, are you okay? Did something happen?"

Inuyasha gave a rude snort. "Do you think I would have sent you a damn message if something didn't?"

Koga growled, his hair bristling automatically. "Was I fucking talking to you, half-breed?"

I gave a sigh; we had no time for their pointless bickering. "Both of you, please settle down. Inuyasha, come sit. We don't have any time to waste."

Inuyasha, clearly annoyed but still heeding my words, locked the library door then sat at the small table across from me and Sango. Koga moved to sit by Inuyasha, their discomfort plain to see. The room was heavy with anticipation and worry; how would Koga react to my sneaking out with Inuyasha last night? I had to trust him with my secrets if he was to be one of my guards from here on out. Inuyasha couldn't do this on his own and Koga was a strong ally. He was just as fast as Inuyasha and, with the power of a full demon, was almost as strong.

I took a moment to read everyone's auras in order to gauge what I was dealing with. Sango's was gold, signaling that she was calm. Inuyasha and Koga's were lime-green; this meant they were annoyed. However, everyone's held a touch of blue mixed in, meaning they were all worried and nervous. I was glad to see no one had any extreme emotions that would make this more difficult.

Sango shifted her weight beside me. "What's going on, Priestess? Why have you gathered us all here?"

I took a deep breath; Koga and Sango were two people I now considered to be friends. I couldn't hide what could possibly be going on for their safety. Inuyasha and I needed help, whether he admitted that or not.

"A demon by the name of Kagura tried to attack me last night. She somehow knew I was the protector of the Shikon Jewel and was therefore prepared to take my life in order to attain it," I began.

" _What?_ " Koga hissed.

Sango's brown eyes widened. "Last night? But weren't you here at the temple?"

I shook my head. Turning my gaze up to Inuyasha, I silently pleaded for him to tell this part.

He nodded in silent understanding. "I took her out last night. We went to the nearby village for the cherry blossom festival. We were attacked on the way back by that wind-demoness."

Koga growled and whirled on Inuyasha. "Just what the hell were you thinking, you bastard?! You could have gotten her killed!

Inuyasha snarled back, his ear plastering lower to the crown of his head. "You don't know a damn thing about what happened last night, Flea Bag! I protected Kagome better than you ever could have!"

"What the fuck is 'Kagome'?!"

I groaned in annoyance and thought, _I wasn't ready for this part of the conversation yet . . ._

"That's my real name, Koga. I'm Kagome Higurashi." I admitted softly.

Koga's wide, ice-blue eyes turned on me, piercing me to the soul. His aura trembled, signaling his shock. I wasn't able to bear looking him in the eye any longer so I glanced at Inuyasha instead. His golden eyes were apologetic but unwavering; he was ready to put our relationship into the open. I understood; keeping the secret and having to maneuver around everyone was exhausting.

Koga looked between us until a sad understanding dawned on his expression. "You . . . you're _together_?"

Inuyasha slowly nodded and answered Koga without taking his eyes away from mine. "Yes. For a while now. I've known her real name since before you got here."

Koga opened his mouth, most likely to yell obscenities at Inuyasha, but we had no time to argue about my choice in lover, so I cut him off. "Last night, Inuyasha wanted to help me escape my responsibilities as the Priestess everyone knows me as. So we snuck out of the temple. I don't regret it and therefore it is no up for discussion. However, this direct attack on me means someone knows exactly where the Jewel is."

"And where is the Jewel?" Sango asked, her voice remaining ever-calm.

"Inside of me."

"I'm sorry, _what?_ " Koga snapped in surprise again.

"I was born with the Shikon Jewel inside of me. That's why I've lived here my whole life. In order to keep the Jewel safe, my body has to be safe. And because I have remained pure, the Jewel is also pure. It's the reason I have so many strict rules placed on my life. I never told anyone my true name and went by the title of Priestess in order to keep my identity a secret and protect my real family from being attacked to gain leverage over me. Until this point, only the High Priest knew me by my real name."

Sango reached over and grabbed my hand in comfort, a small smile on her face. "We understand. It took a lot of courage for you to be able to sacrifice your whole life for the safety of other people."

"Thanks, Sango." I smiled back. In the short time I had known her, I had come to care for Sango deeply. She felt like the sister I never had.

"So what did that Kagura woman say? Anything we could use to find out what the hell is going on?" Koga asked.

Inuyasha shook his head. "Not really. She just said that she was under the orders of some master to attack Kagome. But she did recognize Kagome's face. That means it has to be someone inside the temple or the village. That's the only two places where they would be familiar enough with her face to describe it to someone."

"Then maybe we should leave," Koga suggested.

Inuyasha raised a dark eyebrow. "And go where, genius? There's nowhere for us to go."

"Use your brain, dumbass. Of course we have somewhere to go! We can go home."

"To the _Kyōdai ai?_ Why the hell would we go there?"

"Because we're not finding answers here at the High Temple," Koga explained. "The records here just don't hold the answers we need and from what we all have gathered, they haven't been updated. The Kyōdai ai updates their records every year. Plus, the longer we stay, the more of a chance someone has in order to attack Kagome. If we take her out of the High Temple, they won't be able to find her, at least for a while. It'll buy us time."

"That's a two day journey," Inuyasha pointed out. "I don't want Kagome out in the open that long, even with both of us guarding her."

"You mean three," Sango interjected. The men's gaze flipped to her in confusion and surprise but Sango kept her confident posture. "I was trained to be a demon slayer," she continued. "With my Hiraikotsu, I'm way stronger than the average human. My body is just about ready to wield it again."

"Your body is healing quite quickly," I stated. "If you insist on protecting me, I would say you will be ready to wield it in about two days. I've seen the size of your weapon; I know it's heavy. I'm being generous by giving you only two days, seeing as how we need to leave as soon as possible."

"I do insist. I also insist on us leaving as soon as possible."

"Then it's settled," Inuyasha concluded. "We'll leave in two days' time. Have your shit ready. We depart at dawn."

* * *

I had been searching for Kagome for what felt like hours now. After we explained and made plans in the library, the young priestess announced she was hungry and for Sango to accompany her. Despite my wanting to protest, I understood that she needed time away. It was hard for her to let people in; after all, she had been keeping secrets her whole life. That's why I felt Kagome and I had a deep understanding of each other. We were both outsiders. Even though she lived in a temple full of other priests and priestesses, Kagome was different than all the rest. She was the protector of the Shikon Jewel, the chosen one, therefore people loved and hated her all at the same time. I was an outsider at the Kyōdai ai because, not only was I the only half-demon, I was also the only one that didn't choose this life out of necessity. I came from a privileged family and the other members hated me for leaving such a lavish life.

 _Damn! Where the hell could she be?_ I inwardly cursed. It had to have been at least two hours since I saw her last. I had searched her room, the garden, the dining hall, and even the library again. Kagome wouldn't have gone to the village; she was smarter than to take the risk of being attacked on her own. As I went through the list in my head, I realized there was one place I hadn't checked: the cleansing room. Making the decision, I immediately tromped through the High Temple to my destination. I had never been in the cleansing room before. (Besides the time I broke in but that doesn't exactly count.) It was like there was an unspoken rule I wasn't allowed inside. However, today was not the day for me to care. Kagome and I had already engaged in a love affair; honestly, how much worse could it get?

Standing in front of the large doors, I inhaled a deep breath. _Here we go_. Pushing them open, I entered soundlessly. The doors were so well maintained they did not squeak, nor did the floors. Like the last time I was in here, they were polished to perfection. I passed through the entryway and into the main room. I scanned my eyes around, naturally taking in every detail of my surroundings, until they landed on the person I wanted to see most.

 _Kagome._

She was sitting on the edge of the pool in a white cotton kimono that she had changed into. Her hair was wet, plastering its unruly wave to her back and neck. She had clearly already been through her daily ritual and every step I took towards her seemed like I was defiling her pure surroundings. I suddenly was hit in the gut with the feeling that a dirty half-breed like me didn't belong here, didn't belong with the pure woman before me.

"I can feel you there, Inuyasha." I could practically here the smile in her voice. "You don't have to be nervous. You can come closer."

"Feh, I ain't nervous," I denied, but then I could not stop the hitch in my throat, making me need to swallow. I came to sit beside her at the edge of the pool and, when I looked over at the raven-haired beauty, I noticed that her kimono had become transparent from the water soaking it.

 _Oh . . . distracting . . ._ This made me swallow for a whole different reason now.

"Watcha doing in here, Kagome?" I asked to break the silence.

"I came here to be cleansed, as usual, but after it was over . . . I couldn't leave. I've just been sitting here, thinking," she replied softly.

"About what?"

"About everything that has happened," Kagome murmured. "You've been here for two months but it's felt like a lifetime. I've been attacked, twice, I've witnessed the slaughter of an entire village and have tended to the only survivor of that slaughter. I've learned of the origin of the jewel inside my body and that I am the descendant of the greatest warrior priestess, who also created the Jewel of Four Souls. I've snuck out of the temple, I've grown close to the bravest man I have ever met . . . and I'm pretty sure I've fallen in love with him."

Blinking in confusion, my intelligent response to is admission was, "What . . .?

A deep blush spread across Kagome's cheeks but her eyes did not waver from mine. "I know it's crazy. I mean, we've only known each other a short while but I feel as if I've known you for a lifetime. Like I was destined to meet you. I can't help but be in love with you, Inuyasha."

 _Mate . . . you're my mate,_ something whispered from deep inside me. It explained so much: my natural, overwhelming need to protect Kagome, as well as my overwhelming attraction for her since the day we met. I had all these feelings towards her that any normal person shouldn't have for someone they hadn't known long, but in the world of mating, there was nothing that wasn't fair game.

But could I tell Kagome this yet? _No._ Not yet; not until I knew how this would impact our future. She had enough on her plate right now.

"Kagome . . . I love you, too." There, I could tell her that.

A wide smile shined through her nervous blush. "Really? You do?"

The happiness in her voice made me blush. "I wouldn't say it if I didn't fucking mean it, woman!" I yelled defensively.

Kagome giggled at my reaction. "Of course not, Inuyasha. You're very sweet."

"You're the sweet one," I responded. An animalistic grin spread across my mouth, my fang peeking out as I leaned in closer. "You taste sweet, too."

"I-I do?" she stammered.

"Mmmm," I hummed as I quickly bit Kagome's lip and watched as she licked it slowly after I released it. It was as if that one little action had me in a trance and I growled. I had to taste her _now_. Swooping down, I captured those sinful temptations in between my own lips. I sucked violently on Kagome's bottom lip, drawing it out and rolling it between my teeth as I did so. I ate up those little noises that escaped her mouth; I was afraid for a moment I was hurting her, but seeing as how she gave no protest, I continued my assault on her mouth.

As close as I already was to my priestess, it wasn't enough. I brought up my clawed hand to cradle the back of Kagome's head. However, it seemed she had an idea all of her own. Not breaking our kiss, Kagome pivoted her body so instead of being beside me, she was straddling my lap, her legs supporting her weight.

This change in position caused me to have to lean my head back and move my hand from the back of her head to resting on the skin of her thigh that wasn't hidden by the still-wet kimono. Also, Kagome took this opportunity to take control. She swept her tongue into my mouth, stroking mine, and bit down on my lip in return. The action had my eyes practically rolling into the back of my head; it seemed that all of our sessions together had made the small woman brave in her actions.

As hot as it was to have Kagome take control, it unsettled my demon. It made me want to show her who was the dominant one. Reluctantly, I moved my hand from her thigh and moved it to cradle her ass, pushing her up. It also helped her take the weight off of her legs, which I thought she would be grateful for.

"So sweet . . ." I gasped when we came up for air. The moisture from the water made her lips have a salty taste to mix in with her natural sweetness, as well as make her lips baby-soft.

Without me realizing it, one of my sneaky hands had snuck under the bottom on Kagome's kimono, and the surprise awaiting me there practically set my blood on fire . . .

 _She's not wearing anything underneath!_

I broke myself away from Kagome's mouth in order to breath, but I also wanted to watch her expression when I . . .

"Ooooh . . ." Her eyes squeezed shut and that swollen mouth fell open in surprise when I slipped a finger inside of her.

Her tight heat on my finger alone had me almost ready to explode. I had never felt someone so soft, so perfect. Having one finger inside of her was difficult to move; her innocent body was not very stretched out. I wiggled my finger back and forth while pressing my thumb into her clit. I smirked as her noises were getting harder and harder for her to contain, making her bite her own lip to keep her mouth shut.

"You're so fucking wet for me, Kagome. You do know that I'm the only one that gets to touch you like this, don't you?"

Kagome nodded and placed her hands on my shoulders, digging her nails into my clothing.

I stopped moving my fingers to growl, "Say it, Kagome. I want to hear you say I'm the only one that gets to touch you like this." It took all I had to control myself; I had to remain the dominant one here.

"You . . ." Kagome trailed off to rock her body in order to pleasure herself on my hand.

The image was unbelievably hot, and it made me wonder what it would be like to have her do that on other parts of my anatomy, but it was counterproductive to what I wanted.

I stilled her by grabbing onto her waist with my free hand tightly and she gave a yelp of protest.

"Say it, Kagome. Fucking say it and I'll give you what you want." _And what I want . . ._

"Y-you're the only one, Inuyasha. The only one who gets to touch me, love, fuck me, anything. _Just move!_ " Kagome practically growled.

That dirty mouth of hers took me by surprise and, on instinct, I drove another finger into her vagina. I scissor them back and forth while rolling my thumb in smaller, harsher circles than what I had previously done.

Her desperate pants rose higher and higher. The priestess let her head fall forward onto my shoulder, her head turned so I could feel her hot breath against my skin. And where she was breathing on my neck . . . that was a dangerous spot. Also, I knew she was close. I could feel it; I could sense it.

I gently peeled my fingers from inside her.

"No-!" Kagome began to protest.

"Shhh," I whispered as I brought my fingers up to my mouth to taste the juices coating them. It was all I could do to keep eye contact with my mate, as the salty tang made me want to close my eyes, but I wanted to make sure she was watching me.

Her half-lidded blue eyes watched me and her mouth was slightly gaped open. "Inuyasha . . ." she moaned.

My eyes widened at the sound of her saying my name. In a flash, I had taken the top half of my fire rat robe off and laid it down under me as a cushion. Then, I flipped us over so Kagome was over me. I allowed my eyes to roam her body from this angle. Her cheeks were flushed, lips swollen, and her kimono was disheveled so it revealed the skin in between her breast and down to her waist. Kagome was beautiful. And so, so pure. Way too pure for someone like me. How did someone like me get so lucky with a woman like her?

The tension in the air was so thick, I don't even think a knife could cut it. It almost felt wrong to speak in this moment. I searched for something in Kagome's eyes, like doubt, or anything to stop me from continuing. Because I knew if I didn't stop now, I would never be able to go back. I would be ruined by this woman, unable to leave even if I wanted to. I would no longer belong to myself.

However, there was no negative emotion in her eyes In fact, Kagome seemed sure, ready. I didn't need to say what she was ready for; it was silently understood.

Slowly leaning down, I captured her lips again but this time the kiss held more calm passion rather than animalistic frenzy. While I distracted her with the dance of our tongues, I unfastened the tie that was weakly holding the last bit of the kimono together. I wanted to look, to see all of her, but that would have required breaking the kiss.

I honestly wasn't built for decisions like this.

Instead, I allowed my hands to roam. They began at her hips, where I enjoyed feeling the soft swell of her skin. She was so curvy it was a sin against the gods that her priestess garb covered it all every day. Next, I ran my hands over her sides, causing Kagome to shiver under my touch and giggle.

"That tickles . . ." she murmured against my lips.

I moaned in response but stayed focus on my task. Kagome had a surprisingly toned stomach. Nothing dramatic but I could definitely feel the muscle forming from all the psychical work she did. It gave me pleasure to think my woman was so healthy. Moving up, I slowly cupped the soft, supple breasts in my large hands. I could feel her nipples pucker against my rough palms. In response to my touch, Kagome's back arched off the floor to press herself further into my hands.

This was when I knew it was time to tear myself away from her mouth. I reluctantly did so in order to trail quick pecks down her neck and shoulders to eventually circle to her right breast. I couldn't help but note that her natural scent was released by the water she had been soaked in but it also had a slightly smell of sake mixed in. It was literally intoxicating.

Breaking that train of thought to focus on those tantalizing breasts, I placed a light kiss on the side of the flesh. This caused Kagome to jerk in surprise. I smirked, gave her nipple a teasing peck, and flicked my ear when I heard the woman underneath me gasp. I took it up a notch. Instead of just a quick peck, I sucked the flesh into my mouth, rolling it between my fangs roughly.

"O-oh . . ." Kagome moaned lowly as her breath hitched up a notch.

I chuckled darkly and switched breasts, not wanting to neglect any piece of her.

While I focused on my task, I was vaguely aware of Kagome's little hands untucking my cosode from my pants. This action did not capture much of my attention until I felt her hands slip under and roaming over the hard muscles of my torso. As much as this peaked my interest, I did not halt in my attentions to her breasts.

Even though I was the only doing pretty much all of the stimulation, I was so hard I was shaking. Probably harder than I had even been in my life. No other lover had made me feel this way. But those lovers had come after Kikyo; I had used them to feel something again. That had been a long time ago and as much as I would love to blame it on the numbers of years since I had sex, I knew that wasn't quite the case.

This was my mate; it was a completely different ballgame.

The devious woman's hands moved lower and lower. She dipped in between my stomach muscles in order to reach the trail of silver hair that ran down to my groin. Her fingers played and stroked and teased; I could not hold back the moan that emitted from around my full mouth.

And, next thing I knew, I was not the only one stimulating someone. Kagome slowly pushed past the waistband and stopped just above my trapped, erect penis. One hand stayed in that goddamned position while the other pushed my pants off of my hips, releasing my erection.

The cool air hitting the appendage made me gasp in surprise; it hurt and teased me all at the same time. The coolness did not last long, however, because it wasn't long before Kagome wrapped her hand around me. I couldn't help but gasp again, my eyes squeezed shut and I had come up to bury my face in the devious woman's neck. It was my turn for my breath to speed up.

The hand gave a testing stroke on my member and I could not help but jerk into it. Kagome became more confident, upping her speed as she stroked again and again, and eventually added her other hand.

"K-Kagomeeee," I moaned before plastering my mouth to her neck, mimicking the actions I performed on her nipples.

"You need to relax, Inuyasha," Kagome whispered, her breath ghosting over my ear. "You're too . . . stiff."

I laughed, "I can't believe you just made a-fuck!"

She cut me off by running the pad of her thumb over the tip, applying slight pressure and spreading what little bit of precum had bubbled out of me around, using it as lubrication. This allowed Kagome to stroke faster but not as fast as I would have like.

However, I couldn't cum just yet. I couldn't cum before Kagome and she was prepared to ruin my plans.

Reaching down between us, I gripped both of her wrists in my hand to halts her actions.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome questioned.

I didn't respond, couldn't even form a single coherent sentence or thought other than: _Fuck Kagome. Now._

And I was not one to deny myself the pleasure of that need.

I quickly stripped myself of the rest of my clothes. Kagome blinked and her gazed flipped down between us. She tried to be quick in hope I wouldn't notice her looking, but even if I hadn't, her blush revealed it all. Now, I usually wasn't a bragger, but thanks to my demon blood, I was much bigger than average. Not that Kagome had anything to compare it to but she wasn't stupid.

But I didn't want her to linger on her nervousness. I lowered my naked body down to hers in order to distract her. Our naked skin molded together wonderfully. The head of my penis rested right at the entrance of her vaginal opening. This caused Kagome to begin to shake.

I was worried I would scare her away. Maybe she wasn't ready for this? Maybe I was pushing her too far? I tested the waters by rubbing the head against her folds lightly.

Kagome inhaled sharply, biting her lip.

I smirked. _There's my answer._ "Say it, Kagome."

"S-say what?"

"That you want it," I whispered in her air. "That you want me to fuck you into oblivion."

"I . . ."

I cut her off, just for fun, again by rubbing her clit.

"I want you to fuck me, Inuyasha! _Please!_ " Kagome begged.

That was all the confirmation I needed. Holding myself up on my forearms, I carefully eased myself into her heat. Kagome was so incredibly wet I only had a little bit of resistance. A gasps escaped me; she was _so tight_. I knew she felt this way from my fingers and tongue, but feeling it on my penis was another story. Those silken walls clenched around me, drawing me further in than I ever thought was possible.

Kagome's arms had come up so her nails were digging into my back and, when I performed my first thrust, they dug farther into my skin.

My thrusts started out slow, but as she adjusted more to my size, I increased speed.

Kagome moans of pleasure were driving me up a wall. On top of that, I felt this innate need to return to her neck and, switching to the other side, I began to suck on her skin again, in the area right above her collarbone.

Kagome nails were practically raking down my back. The pain would probably hit me later but for now, it urged me to do more. I changed the position of my arms to slide beneath Kagome's thighs, raising them up. The slight change in position caused me to hit a spot that raised the pitch and intensity of her moans. I immediately knew that this wouldn't last long; it was too hot, too much on my psyche and body. But I was still determined to make Kagome cum before.

I let out a blood-curdling growl. "Tight . . . so fucking tight . . ."

"Please, just a little bit more. I'm so . . . ssssoooo . . ." And before Kagome knew it, her cum was spilling out around me, her body quaking violently underneath me as her nails raked one final time down my back.

Growling, I was able to manage a few more thrusts before I felt my testicles draw up to my body. I was ready. Forcing myself to slide out of Kagome was the final straw; I came as soon as I left her tight heat, spilling all over her stomach. I couldn't support myself anymore. I flopped down onto my back. My muscles felt like jelly.

Kagome moved to lay on top of me, a satiated smile spread across her lips.

I was sweaty. I was actually _sweaty_ from sex. That had never happened before. Ever.

We laid their together on the floor, coming back down to Earth together and calming our breathing. I wanted to lay there forever with her. I imagined a life with Kagome where we had our own hut where we could fuck and love and live however we wanted to.

But the universe just couldn't let that happen because as soon as our breathing returned to normal and I could hear everything else, I heard the fast patter of someone's feet across the wooden floor.

Someone had seen us.

* * *

Alright, guys! Wow . . . what a chapter. That was my first full on lemon! How did you guys like it? Also, if you're wondering why I'm putting this at the end, it's because I wanted to jump straight into the chapter; I'm sure you're ready for it. Please, read and review! I'm dying to know what you all think!


	14. Escape

Alright, everyone, long time, no see! I know, this chapter took me forever but I wasn't sure how to write it or if i should this event here or this event there . . . Anyway, writing struggled. But hopefully I have made the wait worth it! This chapter is super, extra long and a lot of things are going on in this one.

By the way, if you notice I had made a plot error or have done something in this chapter that i have done in earlier one, please let know so I can correct any plot holes o errors. Also if I have made any grammatical or spelling errors. I don't like to look like an idiot.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own _Inuyasha_ or _Assassin's Creed._

* * *

Kagome and I had no time to hesitate. We didn't have time to cuddle or bask in the afterglow of our awesome fucking or anything romantic. We had been seen by someone in the temple and that was when we knew we had no time to waste: We had to leave. The events that happened next seemed to run together in a blur. I urgently hissed at Kagome to go upstairs and pack the things she absolutely needed quickly while I rounded up Koga and Sango in between my curses of panic. I didn't really have anything in my room that I had to take with me; I had my only robe that I ever wore already on and Tetsusaiga on my hip.

Kagome nodded and did not hesitate in rushing to her room but she avoided running so she wouldn't cause a scene. Whoever caught us had yet to tell somebody, judging by the lack of guards surrounding me, ready to execute for tainting the most precious person in all of Japan.

 _Damn right I tainted her and I tainted her well_ , I growled to myself before pushing away the unwarranted thought.

Now, we were running through the woods with Kagome on my back, Koga beside me, and Sango riding on her demon cat, Kilala, in her demon-slaying armor. Kilala was a two-tailed neko-mata demon that traveled along with Sango. Sometimes I forgot that Kilala was there because of how tiny and quiet she was but she was always in Sango's shadow. However, it almost scared the shit out of me when I saw her transform for the first time today. Kilala went from the size of a normal-possibly smaller than a-house cat to standing around five feet tall. Her fangs were elongated to a point past her chin, her tails were long and bigger, and her eyes a demonic red. I had heard of neko-mata demons being able to transform like this but I had never seen it in person.

I had told Sango and Koga to run and not stop, that we didn't have time for explanations. It was imperative we leave immediately. Kagome was worried over Sango's wounds reopening from the strain but riding Kilala helped her to remain mostly still. The only thing that might have been straining her was holding Hiraikotsu, but if it was bothering her, she sure as hell didn't let it show in the slightest.

We were putting good distance between ourselves and the High Temple. I would say at least one hundred yards in the twenty or so minutes we had been fleeing.

"Mutt-face!" Koga shouted over the wind. "Why don't you slow the fuck down and explain what the hell is going on?! We have time before they catch us!"

I hesitated but understanding that he was right, they couldn't catch us at the moment, there was time to explain. Motioning for Sango to stop, I slowed to a halt and set Kagome down so her feet could touch the ground. Giving me a grateful smile, she quickly found a rock to sit down, setting her things down on the ground. For some reason, one of the things the priestess had brought with her was a bow and a quiver of arrows. I had never seen those before and I wondered why she had them. I decided to store the questions away for later.

A few minutes later, Sango arrived with Kilala back down to her regular size. She sat next to Kagome on the grass.

"Alright, we're all here," Koga observed. "Care to explain just that the hell is going on?"

"We had no choice," I began. "Someone caught Kagome and me. It was time to go."

"Caught you and Kagome? What do you mean?" Sango questioned, her voice laced with confusion.

I didn't say a word as Koga's eyes flicked between my impassive expression and Kagome's beet-red countenance. That was probably the biggest indicator other than our scents. Now that he had time to take in the scents around him, there was no mistaking that Koga's full-demon senses could smell my scent all over Kagome's as well as her's on me. Koga wasn't a complete dumbass, after all, no matter how much he acted like one.

"No," he groaned. "Please don't tell me you're that fucking stupid!"

I growled in warning. "It's not like I planned it, wolf-shit! Sorry it was a big inconvenience for you! In case you haven't noticed, someone trying to kill her is the _real_ big fucking inconvenience!"

"I realize that, you fool," Koga growled back. "The point is that maybe you should have been thinking with your brain instead of your-"

"You two, please!" Kagome shouted over us. We immediately shut up but that did not stop our quiet growls or our hackles raised and ready for a fight.

"We're . . . we're focusing on the wrong thing," Kagome said, embarrassed. "I-I am very sorry for the position that Inuyasha and I have put you in but you're missing something. The fact that someone caught us might mean that someone has been following me all along and they knew about us from the moment in started. It's possible we didn't have long anyway and that leaving when we did saved us."

"That is true," Sango agreed. "It would make sense for someone to follow Kagome, if it means they're making sure she is doing what she's supposed to."

"Then why let it go on for so long?" I wondered. "Why not stop it when it first began?"

"To build more evidence? To entrap you more? It seems the more answers we dig up, the more questions we have."

"Either way, we need to keep moving," Koga advised. "We can't even give them the slightest chance for anyone to catch up. We should go a little bit farther today and then find a place to camp. We'll only stop to rest and eat. It shouldn't take more than three days to reach the Kyōdai ai."

"And even then, we need to keep moving. The longer we are out in these woods, the more likely it is for demons to smell Kagome's scent. If they smell her, they will undoubtedly smell the Shikon Jewel along with it. They will track her down," Sango warned cryptically.

"Then it's settled," I affirmed. "We travel until nightfall and we find a place to sleep. We'll take watches throughout the night so nothing has a chance to surprise us."

Everyone nodded in agreement, preparing to begin the journey.

* * *

The sun was casting a burning shadow across the forest of Japan when we found a place to rest. Kagome started a fire while Koga and I went off to hunt, leaving Sango to watch over her. The nights were becoming to grow colder and soon the days would be, too. Autumn was approaching quicker than I would have liked.

Everyone ate their rabbit quickly, however, I noticed Kagome was only taking small bites of her own while staring dazedly at the ground. I decided I would ask her later instead of drawing attention in front of the other two. We decided that we would each take a watch for two hours each; I would perform the first one. Night was cloaking around us by the time the small feast was over and Kagome, Sango and Kilala, and Koga were lying down. Koga was resting against a tree, like how I was sitting, while Sango and Kagome were measly covered by what little blankets Kagome insisted on bringing.

The air was quiet except for the occasional breeze that swept through, making me bury my arms impossibly deeper into my Robe of the Fire Rat. The breeze made my hair stand on end every time it brushed against me; it never failed to make me thing Kagura would be back but the air lacked her scent. I was usually never this jumpy but things were different now. Kagome was sleeping out in the open where demons could easily smell her. I rubbed as much of my scent as I could on the blanket she was sleeping under but that did nothing to stop my paranoia. My ear also occasionally flicked in surprise whenever Kilala squeaked in her sleep, the tiny ball of fur that was pressed into Sango's side.

I was about an hour into my vigil when the little miko began to stir.

"Inuyasha?" her sleep-filled voice called softly.

I looked down at the small figure lying before me. "You should be asleep."

"I know but . . . I can't. I have too much on my mind."

The tone of her voice and the slump in her shoulders made me want to go to her and draw her into me but I knew I couldn't. If I touched her, there was no guarantee that I would be able to stop. Since discovering that Kagome was my mate, my drive to be near her had increased ten-fold. The next time we have sex, I don't know if I would be able to keep myself from mating with her completely. Now just wasn't a good time for that and I wanted to discuss what this meant with her first; she still had no idea.

"What are you thinking about?" I inquired, keeping my tone impassive as I broke myself out of my reverie.

Kagome hesitated before answering with her blue eyes downcast, "How this is all my fault."

"What?" I hissed, barely managing to keep my volume down. "None of this is your damn fault."

"But it is," she whispered. "If I was stronger, I wouldn't need any protection. If I didn't have this . . . this . . . _thing_ inside me, then no one would be getting attacked or killed. Hell, if I hadn't been born, then none of this would be happening. It's not fair to you."

I was stunned, my mouth gaping open at Kagome's admission. I never knew she blamed herself for any of this that was happening; had carried that guilt around for so long. Then again, she had given me all the signs. One of the first things she had ever told me was that she was jealous of me because she didn't get to choose her own path. I felt like shit. How could I let my own mate feel this way?

"And now you're all sacrificing yourselves to help me," Kagome continued, her voice quiet but urgent and strained. "My life isn't worth that. I know that I've been told my whole life that I'm the most important thing in Japan but I know that to not be true. That I'm going to save everyone. That's not true. I can't save these people if they're getting killed because of me!" Kagome looked up at me finally, piercing me with those icy orbs. "You need to run. I can't go to the Kyōda ai with you. I'll only get everyone hurt. Please, Inuyasha, just r-"

"Shut up! I don't want to hear it!" I snapped, making Kagome jump in surprise. "I'm sick of you telling me to run. I'm not running, not without you, Kagome." _Because I love you._

It was her turn to be stunned. Her eyes were no longer iced over with sadness; instead, they softened into a tranquil river. Kagome's bottom lip was drawn into her mouth, rolling it between her teeth.

It was distracting, to say the least.

Finally, after Kami knew how long the silence dragged on, she nodded. "Thank you, Inuyasha," the raven-haired beauty whispered with a soft smile.

"Yeah, don't think too much about it," I blushed.

She let out a small laugh before rolling over onto her back, folding her hands over her stomach neatly while staring at the stars peeking between the trees.

"I still can't go to sleep. Will you tell me a story?"

"Uh, what kind of story?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What was your first mission?" Kagome replied.

The question took me aback. "You want to know the first mission the Kyōdai ai assigned to me was?"

Kagome nodded and simply said, "You've never told me."

I had to take a minute to recollect the memory. I had done so many in the fifty years I was with them that they all began to bleed together. I managed to dig enough of the memory up to share the tale.

"My first mission was . . . complicated," I began.

Kagome frowned in confusion. "Why?"

"During my training to become an assassin, I was able to learn rather quickly, surprising my teachers in a way no one had done before. At least, not in a very long time. Most people's first mission is small to get them accustomed to using their learned skills in the field, like pickpocketing someone that has important information, for instance. However, because my skills that I had already attained in life and my ability to learn quickly caused me to have a mission that was usually performed by an assassin on a higher level."

"And?" the impatient priestess urged when I paused.

I smirked at her eagerness; she was always ready to learn more. "I got to skip the pansy-ass pickpocketing and I went straight to what being an assassin was all about: My first mission was to kill a man who was planning a revolt against the Kyōdai ai. I had to find him, track him down, and eliminate him without anyone seeing me."

"Who was it?"

"His name was Onigumo. He used to be a former member, years before I joined, but he left. I don't know why. All my master told me was that he knew too much about us and had to be taken out. So, that's what I did. I tracked him to a village in Mushashi's Domain, where he was beginning to gain a following of radicals. At first, it was difficult to catch him alone. He either was surrounded by guards or he would sense something was there before I could get close enough."

"So how did you catch him?"

"I had to do it at night. The guards that protected him liked to drink; it was something I had picked up on while following them. It was easy enough to obtain poison and slip it into their drinks. That same night, I slit Onigumo's throat while he was asleep. No witnesses and little mess."

Kagome stared at me, wide-eyed. "You did all of that under orders?"

I nodded. "It's what I do."

"Without asking questions?"

"Uh . . ." I hesitated. "Yeah?"

"Don't you think you should gather the other side's story first before taking action?"

"The Kyōdai ai doesn't take action unless evidence has already been gathered. Onigumo wasn't exactly that secretive with his blasphemous outcry against us. I had to do what was necessary in order to protect my brothers and sisters."

"Women can join the Kyōdai ai, too?" Kagome asked, mystified.

"Sure," I shrugged. "I know a woman named Nazuna that can kick my friend Miroku's ass any day."

Kagome smiled. "You seem to really like it there."

I nodded. "I do. It's the only family I have known in a very long time. After I denounced my inheritance, my father said I could never come back."

"Wait, your fortune?" Her interest was piqued again.

I shook my head. "Another story for another time. You need rest."

Kagome gave me a bashful look. "But I have to go . . ."

I stared at the small woman in front of me before rolling my eyes. "Make it quick. Don't go far."

"Okay," she agreed as she got up and walked further into the forest.

I rested my head against the trunk of the tree and closed my eyes, still keeping an ear out for Kagome. It was still quiet that it had been all night. I couldn't help but think how that was the first time I had actually told someone anything about my life outside of the Kyōdai ai. I had never trusted anyone, had never wanted to get close to anyone. Before Kagome, I rarely ever smiled or laughed. As a half-demon, I wasn't supposed to be all cheerful and happy if I was going to try to live up to a full-demon's expectations. (Namely, my brother's.)

But since I met Kagome, I stopped caring about dreaming of becoming a full-demon. She accepted me for who I was; loved me even! It was strange how inside of her was the only way for me to gain my wish and I had never thought of that fact until just now. I still didn't want it. I knew that obtaining the Jewel would mean losing Kagome and fuck, I did not want that to happen. I wouldn't risk my mate for the world. My entire focus . . . my entire _being_ was shifted onto her.

But what about the Kyōdai ai? What about the people that I had considered family for fifty years? Even if most of them didn't like the fact I was a half-demon, they still treated me decently. Nothing like all warm and fuzzy brotherly shit, but decent. The number one rule was to never fall in love; your priority was the Kyōda ai and nothing else. That was something else I had not thought about before . . .

A high-pitched scream broke me from my pondering. I recognized it instantly: Kagome! I was up on my feet and running through the forest. My heart pounded so fast that I could feel it pulsing up to the tips of my ears. I was growling on instinct and my fangs and nails were slightly longer. My eyes were bleeding red at the corners. When Kagome was attacked the first time, I was pissed off, but I wasn't thrown into a fit of absolute _rage_.

"Kagome!" I bellowed as I came up on the scene.

A millipede demon had Kagome trapped by pinning her arms and legs down, leaving her unable to touch it in order to purify it. The weak demon was lucky she was distracted when it attacked or else it would have been incinerated to ashes. With her ability to sense auras, Kagome was able to sense when demons were near, but she had to use her complete concentration in order to do so since she wasn't very skilled.

Honestly, I was getting this worked over this weak fuck?

Immediately pulling out Tetsusaiga, I leapt into the air to rise above the giant millipede's head. I swung down with all my strength and I felt my blade come in contact with the meaty flesh, splitting it right down the middle. Its inside reeked something foul as I glided down in between its body. It took no time at all for it to fall to the ground.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried as she stood and hugged me tightly around my waist. "I'm so sorry! I wasn't focused . . .!"

"Stupid!" I yelled from panic. Then again, my automatic reaction to everything was to get angry. "You can't let your guard down! You're not behind the barrier of the High Temple now. Demons can smell your scent and sense the Jewel from miles away; you have to always be prepared!"

"I'm sorry!" she sniffled, her lower lip quivering. "I-I'm just not used to this . . ."

Hearing her words, I took a few seconds to calm my rapid breathing. I sighed, "You're sleeping next to me for the rest of the trip. No exceptions. It's time for Koga to take over now, anyway."

My tone clearly left no room for argument, as Kagome was quiet during the walk back to camp. I nudged Koga awake with a grunt and a kick. He managed to call me a, "mongrel bastard," before shaking himself awake.

Kagome was already laying back down under her blankets when I approached. Kneeling down, I slid under them with her, curling myself around her back and dragging her into my body. I sleepily noticed that her curves fit perfectly against me, like a perfect puzzle piece made just for me.

That night, I slept with my nose in her hair and my fingers splayed over the spot on her hip where the Shikon Jewel remained, with its pink light illuminating under her skin.

* * *

"Looks like we're almost there!" Koga called as he raced back towards us.

It had been three days since Kagome was attacked by the millipede demon in the woods. Every night since then, she had slept curled up against, even if I was awake on watch duty. To our surprise, no more demons had come in search of her. I didn't know if that was pure luck, my scent masking Kagome's, or the fact that some larger, more malevolent entity was scaring all the small-fry demons away. It was a possibility I was slowly starting to seriously consider; the run-in with that Kagura woman still managed to give me the chills.

I had told Sango and Koga about the attack as well. They understood that a millipede demon was weak and not much to be concerned about but usually when one demon, comes, more come pouring in eventually. I could tell Koga wanted to become more protective over Kagome, but ever since he found out about us, he was distant. His pride had been hurt. I understood; losing a woman like Kagome to another man would have made me want to howl in pain.

 _Get it, because he's a wolf-demon,_ I joked to myself as I watched said demon take ranks within our group again. I had sent Koga ahead of us because he was the fastest runner out of the three demons present.

"I managed to reach the river that borders our temple. That means we're less than fifty miles away," Koga continued.

"Good," I nodded. I crouched close to the ground and signaled to Kagome for her to climb on. "Then let's pick up the pace and-"

I froze. Beneath the pads of my feet, I could feel the ground shaking slightly. I furrowed my brow in confusion.

Kilala hissed and Sango's gripped tightened on her Hiraikotsu. "I feel it, too. What's going on?"

"Demon," Koga growled. "I can smell its foul odor." This made me nod in agreement.

"I can feel its aura approaching," Kagome whispered. "It's stronger than the millipede's, that's why I can sense it so easily."

Suddenly, the ground stopped trembling and the air became still again.

"What the fuck?" I snapped. "Where the hell did it go?" From the shaking of the ground, it wasn't a small demon. It couldn't just disappear like that!

I heard Kagome gasp from behind me. "Inuyasha, it's-!"

She was a moment too late. The ground that was right in front of me suddenly burst apart, causing crumbles of dirt to cloud my eyes. I heard Sango and Kagome cry out in surprise from behind me.

"Mutt-face, look!" Koga yelled at me.

Shaking my vision clear, I was finally able to see the large shadow that cast over all of us. Tentacles were all I could see for a few feet until I could finally see the top of the centipede's body; it was shaped like a woman. Pale, shiny skin stretched over a torso with breasts that were covered with dark tendrils of hair. Its face was like a woman's until you saw the rows of fangs that were protruding from its mouth.

I pulled out Tetsusaiga, ready for a fight. Between me, Koga, and Sango, we could take this ugly bitch out easily! With no warning, I lunged towards the centipede demon with Tetsusaiga raised and ready to cut.

It proved faster than anticipated. Before I could make a blow, it slithered out of my line of attack. Spinning in air, the thing had its gaze poised straight for Kagome.

"Fuck!" I cried out in panic.

"You have it, don't you? Give it to me!" Its voice was strangely demonically mechanic. I had never heard a sound of its like before.

Before I could blink, Koga had grabbed Kagome, who let out a yelp of surprise, out of the way even though she was feebly trying to notch an arrow.

The wolf-demon placed her a few feet away. "Stay here," he ordered.

"But I want to help!" I heard her argue.

Koga growled in frustration. Now he got to see what I dealt with. "You're want she wants. It's better if you stay out of the way so we can get this over with quickly." Before she could make any more protests, Koga bounded back.

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango shouted as she hurled her giant boomerang at the centipede, managing to hack off a few of her legs. The demon cried out as she lost her balance, as I had also cut off a few of her legs on the other side. She was so fast it seemed that was all we were able to get ahold of.

Before any of us could make another attack, the centipede woman had disappeared in the ground, creating a large hole from burrowing so deep.

"How can a demon that size move so fast?!" I asked, turning to the demon slayer.

"Despite her large size, her flexible skeleton doesn't weigh her down much," Sango explained. "Millipede demons are heavier and don't have human features, their lack of intelligence making them as easy target." As she talked, she withdrew something from on her shoulder pads.

"A seashell?" Koga inquired. "What's that going to do?"

Sango opened it up and quickly showed us the substance inside. "It's a poison," she said. The demon slayer took her katana from the hilt and dipped the tip of it into the purple poison. "I if I can manage to get this deep enough into the ground, it will draw her out." With that sort explanation, Sango threw the poisoned blade into the ground, burrowing it deep.

My eye's widened in shock as the affect was instantaneous; the ground was turning purple! It took only seconds for the rumbling to increase beneath our feet.

. . . But she wasn't underneath us.

"Kagome!" I shouted. "Move!"

As soon as the words left my mouth, the centipede woman rose above the surface, towering behind Kagome. Before Koga and I could move, she had Kagome grasped in her arms, the human woman shrieking at the top of her lungs.

"I must have it!" the demon howled. "I must have the Jewel of Four Souls!"

"You crazy bitch!" Kagome shrieked in between her screams. "Let me go!" Thrusting her arm out in front of her to protect herself, a bright pink light burst from Kagome's hand, burning the centipede demon in the center of her chest.

The demon cried out in pain once more as she dropped Kagome out of her grasp. She was caught by Sango on Kilala's back. However, in the centipede demon's rage, her hand swung out and knocked Kagome off of the nekomata demon, causing her to fall smack on the ground, landing on her side. I could hear the young priestess yelp out in pain.

I was racing forward without any hesitation, Koga quickly beginning to overtake me. They were a good fifty or more feet away from me and the vents that happened previously occurred within moments; I was barely able to discern one from the other.

The centipede demon was still closer to Kagome than both of us, however, and she had her pinned down beneath her. With Kagome screaming and trying to grab onto any part of the centipede's body so she could purify her again, the demon sent a wicked glare our way before burying her fangs into Kagome's hip.

The screams that Kagome emitted rang in my ears for days. All I could take in was that sound and the amount of blood that was seeping from Kagome's body. I wasn't reaching her in time. I wouldn't if that bitch's fangs remained lodged in her body.

With a feral growl, I raised Tetsusaiga above my head and yelled, "Wind Scar!" and the yellow streaks that produced in my battle with Kagura came surging forward, bypasses Kagome completely and cutting the centipede demon to bits.

She was dead.

The lack of noise from Kagome was worrying. I quickly sheathed Tetsusaiga and bounded over to her, kneeling beside her. Her blue eyes were closed and her chest was moving in little spurts of breath. I gathered her in my arms, carefully avoiding the bleeding wound. My eyes caught something shiny lying on the ground mere inches from Kagome's body. It was . . . the Jewel! The centipede's gangs had dug so deep that it had caused the little pink orb to expel from the priestess' body. My eyes were wide, my mouth slack from shock, but as I heard Koga approaching behind me, I quickly snapped out of it and scooped it up, tucking it into my pants.

Koga stared at me with wide, icy eyes. "What the hell was that?!" he bellowed.

"I'll explain later. I have to talk to the Master about it, anyway. Look, she isn't going to last long." I nodded to Kagome. "We have to go now."

He was reluctant, his curiosity clearly getting the best of him, but Koga nodded and turned to take off in the direction of the Kyōdai ai. Sango said nothing as she followed after us, grabbing her katana from the ground as Kilala flew by.

I lost track of time after that. I was too focused on keeping my senses in tune with the Kagome, making sure he breathing didn't stop. Her bleeding didn't; it was all over my sleeve. All I know it that the sun was still high in the sky when we reached the river Koga mentioned earlier. Off in the distance, I could see it towering above the trees.

"We're here," I breathed in relief.

* * *

Ugh, I suck at writing fight scenes. Seriously, that was the worst. Read and review so you can tell me how awful it was. Please and thank you!


	15. Gift of My Father

Guys . . . this is awful. I never realized I didn't post this chapter after I finished until last week, and I didn't have my computer then so I couldn't get it up until tonight! I'm so awful! I literally finished this in NOVEMBER AND I NEVER POSTED IT. Please forgive me! Luckily, this chapter is long and I'm going to start writing sixteen immediately to make up for this unexpected delay. Please, please, enjoy this chapter and forgive me for making you wait! Also, there is an important note at the end of the chapter!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own _Inuyasha_ or _Assassin's Creed_ in any way.

* * *

"She will be just fine," the Master said as he finished rubbing the poultice on Kagome's wound. Her beautiful pale skin had been marred by the centipede demon's jaws, leaving behind ugly gashes in her side. "The Priestess' spiritual powers are healing her quite well," the Master continued. "I doubt there will even be scarring. Her blood is also smelling healthy, as well. That is a good sign."

"So she'll be okay?" I tried to keep my voice nonchalant in order to hide any distressed emotion that might escape from me; the Master could not know of my relationship with Kagome. The weight of the Jewel in my pocket seemed to grow heavier by the second under the pressure of remaining passive. I still hadn't told the others about the tiny pink object being expelled from Kagome's body.

He nodded in affirmation. "Yes, she will. And what have I said about calling me 'Master'? I have known members of your family for too long for you to be treating me like an old flea! You are the only one I hate to hear call me by that ridiculous title."

I laughed at the typical response. "Okay, Myoga, I'll lay off."

The flea demon had been the Master of the Kyōdai ai for years, even before I joined. With his short stature, overly large head, and even bigger eyes, Myoga was not one people would think would hold such a prestigious position but all of those seemingly negative attributes worked to his advantage. He was quick for his size, even in old age, and while he no longer completed missions anymore, he still helped in training new members on occasion. His old age also contributed to his vast knowledge on many different matters, anything from trivial to historical or medical, which is why he was able to stitch up Kagome's side without seeking further medical help.

Unconsciously, my hand drifted to Tetsusaiga's hilt, my fist gripping it tightly. That reminded me of what I needed to personally talk to Myoga about.

"When I assigned you to this mission, Inuyasha, I never imagined it would take this turn," Myoga admitted softly.

I shook in my head. "I didn't either. I couldn't imagine all of the corruption that is hidden within that temple. Someone is trying to kill the Priestess, I just don't know who. I had to get her out of there as soon as possible, for I feared for her safety."

I noticed in the back of my mind that my speech had become more formal since I arrived back at the Kyōda ai. The serious atmosphere, even with Myoga's light-heartedness, always seemed to affect me, making me revert back to how I was when I lived in my father's castle. I had almost forgotten that I spoke like that at all; Kagome had changed me more than I realized. I was always so relaxed around her.

"Come, let's speak outside with the other two," Myoga ordered as he finished washing his hands in a water bowl.

I nodded and obeyed, following him outside. I shot one last glance at Kagome's resting form on top of the bed she had been provided. I prayed silently for the Kamis to let her wake up soon.

Sango and Koga stood from their sitting positions as we exited the room.

"How is she doing?" Sango asked worriedly, clutching Kilala in her arms out of nervousness. She was still in her demon-slayer outfit, Hiraikotsu slung across her back.

"The Priestess is just fine. I've already explained to Inuyasha that her spiritual powers are working wonders on her wound. She should be awake in a few days or so." Myoga's relaxed posture turned serious. "Now, I am going to need you to tell me what all you know about this situation. And I do mean everything."

We began our story. I started with the first incident that I encountered, the one with the kitsune demon, which Myoga was already aware from my letter and, hence, Koga's presence in the situation. Then I explained the scrolls I found in the room where Kagome cleansed every day and Kagome's theory on the parcels of paper. This all lead to hearing the news of Sango's village, which Sango explained. Demons, led by Naraku, had attacked her village and only she and Kilala survived. This was meant as a message for the Priestess; if she did not sacrifice herself, more people would die. Koga explained that Kagome also began to do research once we had arrived back at the High Temple and through inquiry of the High Priest, Kagome had found out that she was a descendant of the great warrior priestess named Midoriko.

From there, I told Myoga of Kagura, a wind demoness that was also sent by Naraku to attack Kagome as well. I left out the part that we had snuck out of the temple; I didn't want to give anything away. I obviously skipped the part where we had sex, instead claiming that Kagura was the reason we fled, that she had been way too close to the High Temple for comfort.

Myoga nodded along in understanding, listening silently and intently to our story. After a moment of silence, he said, "It seems this Naraku character is the main perpetrator that is after the Shikon Jewel. He keeps popping up in these tales. Is there no description of what he looks like?"

Sango shook her head. "That night my village was attacked, it was too smoky to see anything. I never faced him in battle myself."

"I see. Well, you are all safe here. I will send a letter to the High Priest to let them know that the Priestess is safe here with us. Inuyasha, Koga, make sure you show Sango where everything is and get her a room and some food. I'm sure you're all exhausted." With a nod of his head, Myoga dismissed us and hobbled back into his office.

The thought of Myoga sending a letter to the High Priest telling them where Kagome was didn't sit right with me, even though I couldn't fathom why. I shoved down the feeling and kept my mouth shut, convincing myself that I had brought Kagome to a safe place, a place that had been my home for years.

So why did it feel so cold to me now?

* * *

I first noticed a sticky feeling on my side that made me scrunch my nose in disdain. The second thing I noticed was that the pallet I was laying on was not mine, and the smells and sounds around me were not familiar to me. The High Temple always had an aroma of medicinal herbs, a very clean smell, and the quiet that always surrounded the temple was deafening. Now, though, the smells and sounds that surrounded me were indistinguishable. I could smell something cooking, perhaps in a kitchen down below me, as well as hay and other things I couldn't name because of my weak sense of smell. The sounds . . . it was glorious! I could hear people bustling around outside from an open window in the room. I only heard such noise whenever I went to the villages.

"Hey, you're up," a soft, feminine voice spoke from within the room.

Blinking my eyes open, I saw Sango sitting on the floor beside me.

"San . . . go?" I croaked, my voice hoarse from lack of hydration. "How long have I . . .?"

"Five days," the demon slayer answered. "The Master said you would be up in a few days' time. Turns out he was right!"

"The . . . who?" My mind was so befuddled; I was still trying to recollect my thoughts from before I lost consciousness.

Sango shook her head. "We'll explain later. For now, we need to get your energy levels back up. Are you hungry?"

I nodded vigorously. "And very thirsty."

Sango let out a light laugh. "I bet. I'll get you some better clothes and then we'll get something to eat. Inuyasha has been anxious for you to wake up." She winked teasingly and quickly exited the room.

Sango's teasing made my face blush red hot but, after a moment, her words sunk in. Of course Inuyasha must have been worried! As my memories began to clear through the fog, I realized that I was at the Kyōdai ai. That meant that even if my half-demon was worried about me, he couldn't show it in fear of being found out. I hated that we had fled one place where we had to hide only to run willingly to another but I understood that this place was safe until we figured out what steps to take next.

More memories came flooding back. I remembered that night in the woods, where Inuyasha shared his first mission with me. Then, I remembered our vicious fight with Mistress Centipede. That particular memory had me gasping, my body catapulting upward in panic. I suddenly remembered the pain of her fangs tearing into my side, ripping me open and chewing me up like I was her favorite meal. Pushing the robe they had dressed me in up, I noted that the sticky substance on my side was glistening over ugly scar tissue. My skin was marred in zig-zagging lines from her vigorous biting and from the Shikon Jewel being torn from my body

I frantically ran my hands over my skin to see if I could feel a small circular object hidden under the small cloth I was donning until I heard footsteps coming closer down the hall. Quickly retreating to my resting position so as not to raise suspicion, I regulated my erratic breathing while thinking, _Please let Inuyasha have the Jewel!_

Sango slid the shōji door open, a colorful material draped over her arm and Kilala on her heels. "I got you a change of clothes," she stated, addressing what she was holding. "I also told Inuyasha and Koga that you're up. They're already down in the dining hall."

I nodded in response, anxious about the Jewel but excited to see Inuyasha.

My friend helped me change into an emerald green kimono that almost came to my knees. I was more or less fine, I was not dizzy or feeling sick, but my movement was somewhat restricted because of my healing side. I didn't know if Sango knew about the Jewel coming out of my body or not so I kept my mouth shut.

As we headed down to meet the two demons, Sango told me they had a wonderful bathhouse here, even larger than the one at the High Temple, and that we would be going there later that day. I was grateful; the poultice on my side was beginning to make me feel gross from the stickiness and I'm sure I hadn't been properly bathed while I was unconscious. I felt very self-conscious; with his heightened senses, Inuyasha would be able to smell my scent! This provoked an odd thought in me: I had never been this nervous about how I looked or smelled or anything to him, so why now? What had changed while I was asleep?

When we reached the dining hall, my mouth gaped. I suddenly began to realize that the Kyōdai ai was _much_ bigger than the High Temple. Their dining hall was huge! Rows and rows of small and large table created an interesting network of people. Unlike my home, the home of the assassins was colorful and decorations lined the wall . . . and not just religious ones! Paintings from famous artists hung on scrolls, and while the paintings the High Temple displayed were beautiful, they were nothing compared to this. Even weapons were hung on the wall in display! The Kyōdai ai was bustling with noise and conversation of many different people with many different views; this was nothing like the close-minded people I had grown up with.

Somehow in the midst of all the sounds and smells, Koga spotted us standing at the entrance and waved us over gleefully, a wolfish grin on his tan face.

Sango led me through the tables and, after many mumbled apologies from me from bumping into people by accident, I was finally relieved of the embarrassment and plopped down beside Inuyasha.

"How are you feeling, Priestess?" Koga immediately jumped in, clearly excited.

"I'm well, thank you, Koga," I replied cheerfully. "I actually feel a lot better than I expected I would."

"The Master said you would heal quickly because of your spiritual powers," Inuyasha explained, who had not stopped staring at me from the moment I entered the room, even though he tried to conceal it.

"So this it. The Kyōdai ai," I sighed in awe.

"Yep!" Koga puffed out his chest in pride. "This where Inuyasha and I are from. Really different, huh?'

I scoffed. "Way different. I never knew a place like this existed. Even the villages aren't this loud."

"You'll adjust to it. I know it's a really big change with where you're from but this place isn't too bad. There's always something to do!"

I could tell from the tone in his voice that Koga was very proud of his brotherhood. It made me slightly envious that I couldn't love my home as much as he loved his. I quickly shoved the thought down.

"So what have you guys been doing while I was out?" I inquired.

"I found an outdoor area that provides me enough space to brush up on my skills with Hiraikotsu," Sango said excitedly while stroking Kilala's fur. "Even though I can lift it, I'm having to train my back and shoulders to get used to the weight of wielding it again. I didn't realize how much I missed it until I started working on honing my skills again." The demon slayer paused, a light blush creeping up on her cheeks. "And . . . then there's-"

"You must be the Priestess!" a voice shouted from behind us.

I heard Inuyasha snarl quietly beside me and I turned my head over my shoulder. A few feet behind us stood a man wearing purple and black monk robes. He was Inuyasha's height, perhaps a little taller, with dark hair and a wide, cheesy grin. While Inuyasha snarled, Sango was groaning.

 _What did I miss while I was unconscious?_

The man walked over to us, still grinning. He welcomed himself to sit beside Koga and across the table from me. I was a little embarrassed from him announcing my title in front of everyone; I began to hear whispers circulating around me.

"My name is Miroku," the man introduced himself. "I'm a monk here at the Kyōdai ai. You have no idea what an honor it is to finally meet you!"

I blushed at the undeserving praise. "Thank you," I returned politely, "but the praise is unnecessary."

"Of course it is! I've heard of your ability to purify the air around you, your ability to see auras, and that you're the first chosen protector of the Jewel in decades, perhaps even centuries."

As Miroku talked, I noticed that his eyes were so dark that they almost seemed purple in color, as if they reflected his robes. I also noticed that his right hand was covered in wrapping along with a string of blue beads. I mentally frowned; what was up with that?

Miroku brought my thoughts back into focus when he teased, "You forgot to mention how attractive she was, Inuyasha. The rumors simply don't do her justice."

"I didn't think to mention it," Inuyasha huffed, folding his arms into his sleeves as he did so. I noticed he did that when he was feeling defensive. "Doesn't really matter, anyway."

"Oh, I disagree," the monk argued. Taking my hands from my chopsticks, he folded them inside of his and held my hands gently. "Priestess, if you are able to once your duty is over, would you consider bearing my children?"

I blinked, not fully processing what was just said. "I . . . what?"

Inuyasha's snarl turned into a full-out growl. "You better watch it, Monk," the half-demon warned lowly.

I stiffened; Inuyasha's comment sounded way too possessive. Turning my head to him, I gave him an impassive stare. "I think I can handle this on my own, Inuyasha." Turning back to Miroku, I answered, "Seeing as how we just met, I'm going to decline that offer. It doesn't seem like my duty is going to be ending anytime soon."

 _And if it does, then my life will be ending with it._

My answer did not sadden Miroku, however. He only grinned wider. "A woman who is dutiful. That can be very hard to find."

Inuyasha tensed beside me and Sango had not stopped glaring at Miroku from the moment he sat down. Her aura was green . . . Was Sango jealous? But why?

"A flirtatious man is not, however," I countered.

Miroku laughed and nodded in admission. "Too right. In all honesty, I'm relieved to hear that you are okay and healing well. The Master figured as much. I look forward to becoming acquainted with you, Priestess." With that, Miroku bowed respectfully and left . . . but not before I noticed him shoot a brief glance at the demon slayer next to me.

Koga, who had mainly been focused on his food during the interaction, looked up at me from his plate. "Would you like a tour of our temple?"

I nodded vigorously. I was anxious to find out what my half-demon's home was like.

"I'll take you," said demon offered quickly. I'm sure that wasn't Koga's intention but Inuyasha readily took the opportunity to be alone with me. We wouldn't be as watched here as we were at the High Temple.

Koga's smile waned slightly but he acquiesced with a nod.

Inuyasha simply returned a blank stare before getting up, motioning for me to follow.

I scooped up the last little bit of rice and quickly followed Inuyasha, shooting Koga and Sango a quick, "We'll be back soon."

Inuyasha still had his hands shoved inside his sleeves, unwilling himself to touch me.

 _He must have been so worried while I was unconscious but yet he wasn't able to do anything to help me . . ._

"Did your Master tend to my wounds?" I inquired quietly.

He nodded. "He was able to make an ointment that helped prevent your wounds from infection and to help them close. He did say that your spiritual powers would heal your body, too."

"Sango mentioned that. She also mentioned that name; the Master, I mean. Who is he?"

"He's the leader of the Kyōdai ai, has been for as long as I've been here. Every leader of the Kyōdai ai has to gain knowledge in pretty much intellectual area; sciences, history, arts, you name it. 'The Master' is the official title every leader goes by, though Myoga is his real name." Inuyasha glanced down at me then added, "But don't tell anyone that. I'm the only that knows is real name."

"How do you know it?"

"Myoga's an old family friend," the silver-headed demon explained. "I knew him briefly before I joined the Kyōdai ai fifty years ago."

My mouth gaped open in shock at this information. "Fifty years ago? Inuyasha, how old are you?"

Inuyasha chuckled at my bafflement. "I'm a little over two-hundred years old. I've started to lose count, though, so you can give or take a few years." When he looked down only to find my face full of confusion, he elaborated, "Because of my demon blood, I age much slower than humans do but I probably won't live as long as the average demon. So fifty years is a blink of the eye for me."

The half-demon continued, "Myoga knew my father, a great general, before I was born. He used to be an advisor to my father in his court until the day Myoga decided to leave and join the Kyōdai ai."

"Why did he do that?" I asked, perplexed by the notion. Why leave the comforts of court to join a brotherhood of assassins? It didn't quite make sense.

Inuyasha shrugged. "Boredom? Needed a change in scenery? Hell, even I decided to leave when I got bored of all the politics and kissing ass. It's my brother's thing, not mine."

"You have a brother?"

He nodded, "Yeah."

The tone in his voice indicated that his brother was an out-of-bounds subject so I quickly decided to drop it. I didn't want to pry too much.

I changed the subject. "What happened to the Shikon Jewel, Inuyasha? I can't feel it's presence inside of me anymore." However, I did have a pricking sensation in the back of mind that I couldn't quite place, something that was familiar to me, yet had never encountered before.

When the said demon came to a halt, I noticed that we were in a garden that reminded me of the one back at the High Temple. One of the only notable differences, besides the slightly bigger size, was a fountain in the middle. The fountain held a statue of the kami, Bishamon: the kami of war and happiness. It was quite fitting; while the Kyōdai ai was a brotherhood of assassins that killed for a living, they upheld rules about their profession that set standards for every assassin involved. Inuyasha had told me that they could never kill an innocent or to never deceive for a mission. They believed they were killing for the good of society.

Inuyasha pulled a small pink orb out of his pocket. The object seemed so tiny in Inuyasha's clawed hand!

I blinked. "That's . . . that's the Jewel?" I was having trouble forming the words.

"Yep," Inuyasha said. "When Mistress Centipede bit you, it was flung from your body and I killed her before she could swallow it."

I took a moment to digest the situation. All the pain that people caused one another in the past, all the greed people beheld, the thing that was inside of me when I was born and forced me to live in the High Temple and run from that life . . . was because of this? This small thing? This was the first time I had ever seen the Shikon Jewel in real life and all I wanted was to hurl it as far from me as I could throw. I was _sickened_.

Slowly reaching up, I closed my hand around Inuyasha's, folding his long fingers over the sacred object.

"What is it, Kagome?" Inuyasha questioned worriedly.

"C-can you keep it?" I stammered nervously. I couldn't look at it; I couldn't bear to. "I don't think it would be safe with me."

Inuyasha knew I was lying, that there was more to it than that, but he dropped it for the moment with a nod. He tucked it back into his pocket and looked at me intently. I shivered as his sun-burnt eyes bored into mine.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Kagome." My name passed through Inuyasha's lips quietly, sensually. Another unwarranted shiver passed through my spinal cord. Sliding an arm around my waist, the dog-eared man pressed me close to his body. I trusted his abilities to detect whether someone was around or not but Inuyasha did seem slightly bolder than what he was back at the High Temple. I chalked it up to him being more comfortable at home.

He buried his nose in my hair and I heard him inhale my scent longingly. "It drove me crazy to think that I couldn't help you, not with Myoga being so close. The only time I could see you was when we were rotating shift to see if you were going to wake up."

I closed my eyes, allowing myself to enjoy his proximity. With Inuyasha being so close, my body was start to remember the attentions he had given it only a week ago. It seemed like it had been much longer than that, with everything that has happened since then. A sensual heat flooded through my stomach in reaction to my train of thought.

"I'm okay now," I sighed as he rubbed sensual circles in the small of my back with his thumbs. "I'm glad there won't be scarring. These teeth marks are so ugly," I added.

"I think they make you look badass," Inuyasha teased.

I snorted at the comment. "I'm too weak to be badass."

"Are you kidding me? You practically disintegrated Mistress Centipede's arms off without even thinking about it! Most priestess have to work up to that amount of energy for years before they attain it," Inuyasha scolded my self-doubt.

"I would be much stronger if I could train but they never allowed me to . . ."

"You could train here. No one's stopping you except yourself."

I looked up at him, perplexed. "Really . . .?" Having the choice made my head spin with wonder. What would it be like to make decisions for myself?

Inuyasha nodded. "We have a target and bows and arrows you can use to practice archery. Maybe you could even practice with your spiritual powers, too!"

I smiled at his sweet and thoughtful encouragement. "I think that's a great idea. But only if you help me!"

"Me?" Inuyasha scoffed in surprised. "I _maybe_ can help you with the archery. But the spiritual training? That shit is out of my league."

I laughed and then leaned up on my toes to kiss his cheek. "Thank you, Inuyasha."

The dog-demon let out a low growl when my lips made contact with his skin. He pressed me closer to him as one of his hands snaked its way into my hair while the other continued to rub circles on my back.

"You can thank me in other ways, ya know," Inuyasha smirked.

The bold words made me flush with heat. "H-how?" I feigned innocence, but I knew what he wanted. It was something I wanted to.

He didn't respond with words. Instead, he tipped my head back slightly in order to gain access to the flesh of my neck, placing his lips right over where my heart pulsed and sucking. I was positive he could feel my pulse increase when his fangs began to tease my skin.

My knees began to grow weak so I wrapped an arm around his neck to keep myself upright. _Where does he learn this stuff?_ I wondered.

Figuring that I would rather not know the answer, I brought up my free hand to tug on his haori. I was coming to find I preferred it more off of him than on . . .

Suddenly, Inuyasha tore himself from me with a growl. The surprising action left me unbalanced; he had to grab onto me to make sure I didn't fall over.

"Inuyasha, what-"

"Shh," he whispered. What was he hearing?

Not even a moment later, a man came bounding around the corner.

"Inuyasha, welcome back!" the man greeted. He was tall, taller than even Inuyasha or Koga, with sandy-brown hair and a cheerful countenance.

"Kunosuke, hi," Inuyasha replied, an annoyed undertone in his voice. "What's up?"

"The Master wants to see you,'" Kunosuke informed. "He says that it won't take long."

Inuyasha nodded. "Okay, I'll head there now."

Finally noticing me, Kunosuke blushed in embarrassment until I gave him a reassuring smile. The blushed deepened even more after that, and with a quick bow to me, he scampered off.

"Fucking old flea, having the worst damn timing. The old bastard," Inuyasha grumbled in annoyance. He started to stomp back inside, but I quickly grabbed his hand before he went too far.

"Just come see me when you're done, okay?" I told him nervously. Maybe that was a bit too forward . . .? I was knew to this side of myself, after all.

Blinking in surprise before smirking, Inuyasha chuckled, "Meet me in your room. I won't take long." He let go of my hand and bent his knees to go into a crouching position. I was about to ask what he was doing when he sprang up off the ground and landed on the roof of the building. I watched in amazement as he bounded from roof to roof until he faded from my sight.

I couldn't help but think that even though we were on the run and someone was trying to kill me, I couldn't have been happier. Ever since Inuyasha had come into my life, I had seen a whole different side of it that I had never known before. He had shown me fun, excitement, jealousy, lust, and maybe even love. I wasn't sure on the last one yet but I was definitely determined to find out. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have been alive and I certainly wouldn't have my friends.

I owed everything to Inuyasha and I intended for him to stay so I could continue trying to pay him back.

* * *

I grumbled under my breath at the old bastard's unintentional interruption. I hadn't seen Kagome in days; I just wanted to be able to fucking hold her! I couldn't help but wonder why my thoughts about the little miko had become more possessive as of late. I noticed it a few days after we fled . . . after we had sex at the High Temple.

 _Well, she is my mate,_ I thought. _Having sex with her probably didn't help my instincts out, either. How will I tell her? How will she react to it?_ I had to find the right time to tell her. With everything going on, that would be hard, but Kagome had the right to know that she could possibly be tied to me for the rest of our lives.

 _But what if she doesn't_ _ **want**_ _to be tied down to me and rejects me? What will I do then?_ With a violent curse, I pushed the thought out of my head to deal with later. I had a few questions of my own for Myoga about my sword that had been killing me for days.

Pushing the wooden doors open, I stepped inside the Master's chambers. The room was filled with paintings and decorations of grandeur, giving the Master's that resided there no question as to the power they held over the league of assassins. Myoga had a desk near the large, airy window at the back of the room and bookshelves lining the walls. In the back left corner, there was a shoji door that led to his bedroom. Myoga hated the upcoming invention of handles on doors that turned, so he insisted on the door to his bedroom the culturally typical shoji door.

Myoga looked up from a scroll he was pouring over and smiled at me. "Inuyasha, please, sit!" he offered heartily.

Heeding the request, I trudged to the middle of the room and took a seat in front of his desk. "What did you summon me for?" I huffed.

"I heard the Priestess was awake. How is she?"

I raised a seemingly-bored eyebrow, "She's fine, I guess."

"That is good to hear. I figured she would be. Her powers were rapidly taking over the healing process."

"Yes," I nodded. "But you knew all this so why summon me here?"

Myoga's mouth flickered into a smile. "I feel as if you have something you want to tell me."

My hand once again went to Tetsusaiga. I did have so many questions . . .

"I wanted to talk to you about my sword," I admitted. "There's been some . . . changes with it."

Myoga frowned in confusion. "What kind of changes, Inuyasha?"

"It has these powers that I never knew it had up until know. Father gave it to me the day I left but he never talked about it. All I know is that it was forged from his fang and that Sesshomaru wants me dead over it. Luckily, I haven't seen him in a few years but now it's changing. I don't know why."

"Describe the changes to me," Myoga urged.

"When I fought the wind-demoness, Kagura, I performed an attack that I had never seen before. I could feel the wind surge around me, as well as smell where the currents collided. When I struck that spot, lightening sprung from my blade. It was something unlike anything I had ever seen," I explained, in awe of the power displayed from my inherited fang.

"Ah, yes, the Wind Scar," the old man revealed. "That is one of Tetsusaiga's ultimate techniques."

"One of them . . .?" I murmured softly.

Myoga nodded. "Tetsusaiga has six ultimate techniques, all of which your father, Inutaisho, perfected. The first, as you have discovered, is the Wind Scar: a technique that can slaughter a thousand enemies at once. The rest are the Backlash Wave, Adamant Barrage, the Red Tetsusaiga, Dragon-scale Tetsusaiga, and Meido Zanghetsuha."

The old master leaned forward intently, locking my golden eyes with his bug ones. "Tell me, Inuyasha, how strong is your drive to protect the Priestess? And tell the truth; I will know if you're lying," he added quickly.

I swallowed hard; how much could I tell him without giving away too much? "Strong enough . . ."

"How strong, Inuyasha?"

"Well, we have grown close in our time together. It only makes sense that I should get to know her since she is under my protection. I would say we were friends, maybe. But I can see that the Priestess is a very pure person and I don't want that purity ruined for the sake of the ."

Myoga's eyes narrowed suspiciously but he did not ask me to elaborate further. He explained, "Tetsusaiga is a sword that Inutaisho had formed in order to protect your human mother, Izayoi, from even the strongest of foes. Therefore, Tetsusaiga's true power can only be accessed when one has a strong urge to protect humans or one human in particular. It seems, Inuyasha, you are discovering that desire."

So the reason I could unlock the sword's true power was because of Kagome? Because I wanted to protect her? No, I've wanted to protect other humans, right?

 _But I never cared for them like I care for Kagome. I never loved them._

I had to refrain from my mouth dropping open at the revelation. I loved Kagome. That had to be it! The only woman I had ever truly loved was my mother. I didn't even love Kikyo, though I thought I had. What I had with Kagome was real. Irresistibly real.

I nodded slowly, my mind still whirling. "I see . . . How do I unlock the other techniques?"

"With time," Myoga answered simply. "Tetsusaiga will know when you are ready for them or when you are in need of them. Trust in your father's sword, Inuyasha, and perhaps one day you will be as strong as he was."

My eyes drifted from Myoga to land on my sword sheathed in its scabbard. This gift from my father . . . The only reason I would surpass him was because of Kagome? I felt as if the priestess had given my so many things: love, a place to belong, happiness, and now greatness. I owed everything to her and now I had the opportunity to spend the rest of my life repaying her for that.

* * *

So, important side note on the background of Tetsusaiga! I changed up the history on it just a tiny bit, literally little details. I' just pointing that out in case someone starts thinking, "This isn't exactly how it went in the show . . ." Well, yeah, because this isn't the show and I have a smaller time frame to work with. Seriously, this story is going to end quicker than you think. I'm really sad about that, actually . . .

Anyway, **read and review as always!** I love hearing from you guys. Also, if you haven't already, go check out my new one-shot that I put up! It might could lead into my next story I write. Or maybe not. Who knows?


	16. Love

Look at me, uploading another chapter so soon! I'm so thrilled with myself. However, this chapter isn't terribly exciting. Inuyasha and Kagome talk, and I will warn you there is a **lemon**. That's about it. It all sets up for the next chapter, though, and that will definitely be exciting! The story is starting get good as truths come to light and relationships start to form. I'm getting excited!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own _Inuyasha_ or _Assassin's Creed_.

* * *

I waited in the room for Inuyasha to return. I had not seen Sango nor Koga on my walk back. I assumed Koga was enjoying his time back at home; I did not expect him to hang around me as much as he did before. Sango and Kilala were also probably exploring, no doubt. The demon slayer could not sit still for very long.

 _I wonder what's going on between her and that monk_ , I pondered casually. _She sure did act strange while we were eating . . ._ I shrugged the thought off. Whatever it was, it wasn't my business. Sango would confide in me if she wished.

I heard the door open and my head snapped up in surprise. I was replaying events in my head: Kagura coming after me, Inuyasha, Sango, Koga, and I fleeing the High Temple, the Shikon Jewel being ripped from my body, and Inuyasha and I . . . having sex. That memory made me blush, as it always had when it came to my mind. I had committed one of the highest sins I could possibly commit: I allowed my body to become defiled. I was no longer pure.

Or was I? I didn't feel any different than I had before. In fact, I felt more loved than I ever had before in my life; it wasn't even the sex itself that made me feel that way! The fact that Inuyasha told me that he loved me, too, made me feel as if I had a real purpose in life. It gave me strength to do what I needed to do. The sex was just a bonus . . . a really good bonus.

My blush deepened and I shook my head to dispel my impure thoughts. Now that I thought about it, what was I going to do now that the Jewel wasn't inside of me? Would it change my powers? Would my actions with Inuyasha defile it? A defiled Shikon Jewel surely meant danger for everyone, especially if anyone with evil intentions got their hands on it. Additionally, if anyone got wind that the Shikon Jewel was now ripe for the taking, how many people would be coming after the sacred object? I was nowhere near prepared for a fight but I hated being the one that everyone protected all of the time. My powers were too uncontrollable in battle; the moment I became panicked in a fight, I was a bomb waiting to explode.

"You're always lost in thought, you know that?" Inuyasha pointed out with a smirk, closing the door behind him.

My eyed drifted to look at the half-demon. He was leaning against the doorframe, looking casual with his arms and legs crossed lazily. Inuyasha had that endearing, familiar smirk on his face, the one that made him look like he knew something you didn't, something devious. Those golden eyes blazed down at me and I couldn't help but noticed his aura; he was calm but tense. My half-demon had something on his mind.

"I have a lot to think about," I replied with a small smile. "What did Myoga want?"

Inuyasha unfolded his arms and leg to cross the room to me. "He asked about you, wanted to know if you were okay. I told him you were fine." He sat down next to me in the floor. "I think the old bastard is starting to suspect my feelings for you."

My eyes widened in surprise. "What? But how could that be? He's barely seen us interact. How would he even know?" I questioned frantically.

Inuyasha stayed silent for a moment before admitting, "I think my sword gave it away."

"You're . . . What?" I was caught off guard by his words. How did Tetsusaiga have anything to do with us?

Inuyasha sighed, his shoulders sagging heavily. How long had he gone without sleep?

"Do you remember my fight with Kagura and that weird, strong wind came from nowhere, making her run like a bitch out of hell?"

I nodded, clearly remembering the strange, yellow, lightning-like streak tearing through the air. It sounded like thunder had struck down to touch the earth. "I do."

"That was an attack known as the Wind Scar; it's one of Tetsusaiga's ultimate techniques," the silver-haired demon explained. "And the reason I was able to summon it was . . . because of you."

My brow furrowed in confusion. "Because of me . . .?"

"Tetsusaiga has six ultimate techniques; the Wind Scar is one of them. When my father had the sword forged, his intention for it was to protect my human mother. Myoga said its true power can only be accessed when the wielder has the urge to protect humans or a particular human." Inuyasha stuffed his hands inside of his sleeves, a habit he often did when he was nervous.

"And that human is . . ." I trailed off. I was at a loss for words. Voicing anything seemed slightly overrated at the moment. Was my heart bearing or had it stopped by now?

"You, Kagome, yes," my fated protector nodded. "You are the reason I am finally tapping into a power I never thought I could access. After all the shit my asshole brother has given me over this sword, it's finally worth it."

I blinked in shock. "But . . . _why me?_ "

"Well," Inuyasha swallowed hard, obviously nervous for some reason, "because you're my mate."

If possible, my eyes widened further. "What does that mean?" The term was unfamiliar to me.

"In every demon's life, they have one person they are destined to be with, to tie their lifelines to. Think of it as the human form of marriage, expect much, much deeper. Once the two mate, it's for life. There's no breaking the bond."

"So how does mating work?" I inquired out of curiosity.

A light blush crossed Inuyasha's nose and cheeks. It made me giggle. What was there to be nervous about? I was clearly missing something important.

"W-well, the two have to have the complete intention of binding their souls together. It won't work otherwise. Then, they have to have sex to complete the physical part of the process. And as, uh, that is happening, their auras combine into one. That's the spiritual part of mating. Last, you have to mark each other."

"Mark how?"

"Like biting, clawing, things like that to show others that you're claimed. If anyone was to go after another person's mate, the punishment is death. That's why Koga is starting to back off; his tiny brain is starting to figure out what we are."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at him. Leave it to him to be concerned about Koga at a time like this.

"So where does all of this leave us?" I asked nervously. Would Inuyasha want to leave me, knowing that his Master is already suspecting our relationship? I was amazed that in the few months we are had known each other, I had become so dependent upon him. Not to protect me or anything of that nature, but emotionally. It was as if he had overtaken all the parts of me that were afraid and uncertain of me and replaced them with parts of himself. With Inuyasha, I had discovered truths I never would have otherwise and fought demons, something I never thought I could do. I had gained Inuyasha's strength through the love he had shown for me. Amazing what thing such as love did to a girl.

Those thick, dark brows of his creased in confusion. "What do you mean? We're in the same place we were before: together."

"We can't stay together if there's risk of you getting in trouble! I realize that I am your assigned mission but it's more than that now. Myoga will catch on to that eventually. You need to tell him you can't complete this mission."

Inuyasha stared at me incredulously with his golden eyes, like I was speaking in another language. He _had_ to realize I was speaking the truth. Us parting would damn near kill me, but if it kept him safe, did that part really matter?

"Kagome," he murmured softly, "you're my _mate_ , for fuck's sake. I don't give a damn about the mission or what Myoga may or may not think anymore. Why? Because it doesn't fucking matter! In a demon's eyes, their mate is the most important thing to them. _You_ are the most important thing to me. How many times do I have to say it for you to get it through stubborn head? We stay together. Especially now that the Jewel is no longer in your body. People will come for it now."

"I . . ." I had never heard Inuyasha sound so intent before. Despite my better judgement of doing what's best for him, he was right. Because what's best for Inuyasha is what's best for me, and that means we have to stay together.

By that point, I was out of things to say. Inuyasha, for once, had outdone on the endearing-and-meaningful-speech part this time. So, instead of saying what I felt, I decided to show him.

Inuyasha gasp of surprise was muffled by my lips enveloping his. I had jumped into his lap, my arms wrapping around his neck while his hands automatically gripped my hips. I was being surprisingly bold in my actions, something I rarely did. But after all Inuyasha had unknowingly done for me, my feelings for him could no longer be contained.

I tilted my head sideways so my lips could slant over his. I teased his bottom lip with my tongue, a move I had picked up from the half-demon beneath me. In between the swipes of my appendage, I nipped on that swollen lip, causing Inuyasha to moan deeply. A swell of pride bloomed inside me, knowing I could do that to the well-experienced man before me.

Inuyasha rubbed circles on my hips with his thumbs, his hands began to venture lower. I began aware of his actions as I felt the material of my kimono softly lifting from my legs.

I couldn't help the small smirk that lifted the corner of my mouth and the sly look I gave him. "What do you think you're doing?"

Wordlessly, Inuyasha flipped us over so my back was flat on the futon I had been provided with. My blue eyes drifted shut as I felt his tongue invade my mouth. Mine automatically came to stroke his and I was rewarded with a growl. While we kissed, his hands rubbed over my thighs but did not move any further up. I squirmed under him in protest.

"Inuyasha . . ." I gasped desperately. Words were beyond me now, let alone complex sentences.

"Last time went too quickly," he answered between long, consuming kisses. "I want to go slowly now."

"No slow," I replied with a teasing lift of my hips. I wasn't even sure I was making any sense.

Inuyasha chuckled and pushed my hips back down to the floor. "Haven't you ever heard that good things come to those who wait?"

I wanted to bite back a smart reply, but the mischievous half-demon didn't give me the chance. All thoughts of arguing were cut off as Inuyasha kissed his way down to my neck, stopping only to kiss my chin and along my jawline. Once he reached his destination, he took his sweet time licking and nipping the spot where my heart beat thrummed underneath my skin while he growled lowly. I was sure there would be a mark there later. Inuyasha's calloused hands never moved from my thighs.

I felt as if I was neglecting him. My arms had remained locked around his neck as my head swam in a fog of nothing but pleasurable feelings. However, I somehow managed to move my muscles in order for my hands to reach the ties of his haori in order to slide the red material off his upper body, letting it fall into the floor. Next, I unwrapped the hanjuban so I could see the tan skin awaiting beneath.

I had never really taken the opportunity to explore Inuyasha's body; he had always been too focused on mine. Now, I let my hands wander over his torso freely while he was distracted. I felt his strong chest and broad shoulders underneath my palms. Amazingly, he grew no hair there. I suddenly wondered if that was a demon thing or an Inuyasha thing. I didn't wonder for long as my hands travelled lower.

I spent most of my time on his chiseled stomach. His skin stretched over taught muscles, which lead to that deep 'v' on his waist that told just how strong Inuyasha's body was. As my fingers played with the hair below his bellybutton, I heard my half-demon let out a warning.

"Kagome . . ." he growled against my neck. I didn't notice his hands had moved from my thighs until I felt the cold air hit my shoulder as he pushed the material off of them. Seductive fangs scanned over the skin from my shoulders to my jawline.

I couldn't help the hitch in my breathing and my eyes drifting shut. Taking it slow was torturous but tantalizing all at once. This would not distract me from my wandering, however.

As Inuyasha pushed off my kimono, I worked on the ties of his pants, only to reveal the bottom part of his hanjuban. That part I left on. My fingers inched lower . . . lower . . .

Inuyasha let out a hiss of pleasure, "Shit! Fuck, Kagome!"

I couldn't help the proud smirk that spread across my swollen lips as I changed the pressure of my touch over his penis; I squeezed then loosened my hold, squeezed and loosened. I didn't know what I was doing exactly. I mainly let my instincts take over and copied what Inuyasha had done on my body before. Or, well, somewhat like that.

With a growl, the man with the burning golden eyes ripped the kimono off of my body hastily. I could not contain the shiver that went through me as the cold air touched my skin. I was not cold for long, for the heat of Inuyasha's mouth was licking up and down from my breasts to my stomach frantically. This distracted me from my actions on his cock. Not that it mattered, for my half-demon took my hand off of him in order to tangle his fingers in mine.

I let out a gasp as Inuyasha's tongue encircled my bellybutton. I was losing track of where he was. This man was taking over my entire being without even knowing it; I honestly doubted I even knew the extent.

"Inuyashaaaa," I whimpered as he nipped my hipbone with his pearly white fangs. The action was . . . hotter than it probably should have been.

That all-too-familiar smirk spread across that lethal mouth that would surely become my undoing.

"What is it, Kagome?" Inuyasha rasped, the raw hunger clear in his voice.

"I-oooohhh . . ." I lost my words as his tongue swept over my clit. My body shook from the anticipation.

"Tell me what you want," Inuyasha simply said as he brought his clawed hand up to roll the tiny, bead-shaped part of my body in between his fingers.

"I told you!" I panted with each rise and fall of my chest. "I don't want you to go slow. I want you now," I pleaded.

"Just be patient." Inuyasha was barely speaking to me anymore. Instead, his burning eyes were locked on my womanhood. "It won't be long now," he added distractedly.

As he continued to lick me, I let my head fall back onto the futon. I could barely hold my eyes open anymore. I only became aware of any specific actions when Inuyasha closed his lips around my clit and _purred_. The action sent powerful vibrations through my body.

I couldn't help the desperate wail that escaped me as the pressure that had been building released like a violent storm from my body. How were pleasures such as this possible? Surely something felt as heavenly as this could not be a sin!

When my body stilled, Inuyasha crawled over me, kicking his pants off while doing so.

"You are so beautiful, you know that?" It was a very un-Inuyasha-like thing to say but it made me blush nonetheless.

"Are you getting soft on me now, Inuyasha?" I teased as I tangled my fingers in his silver tresses. They were so silky!

"On the contrary, Kagome," he gave me a sly smirk, "I'm the exact opposite of soft right now."

The blush on my face deepened even more. "I-I can feel that . . ."

"Can you?' His voice slid over me like a gentle caress as he teased my opening with the head of his member. Inuyasha was in a playful mood, a good mood. I didn't understand what brought it on but I was enjoying this side of him.

Deciding to play along, I lifted my hips so the tip barely entered my body. The man above me sucked in a hiss.

"Why, yes, Inuyasha," I whispered as I lowered my hips once more, "I can."

When I lifted my eyes to meet his, I saw red bleeding at the corner of his irises. I let out a gasp of surprise. "Inuyasha . . . your eyes!"

He didn't give me a reply. Instead, he growled and ran his hand down my body; from my neck, in between my breasts, stopping just above my womanhood. Then, before I could mention his eyes again, Inuyasha flipped me over onto my stomach and stuffed a pillow beneath my hips.

"Inuyasha, what are you-?"

"You're mine, Kagome," he snarled as he pushed my legs apart. "Just relax and trust me."

I hesitated, considered what was about to happen. The fact was, I had no idea what was about to happen. I trusted Inuyasha, of course, and I knew he wouldn't hurt me. If I gave the word, he would stop. So what was the harm in trying something new?

However, it was awfully hard to think with Inuyasha trailing his hand from my back to grab my . . .

I let out a yelp of surprise. He chuckled in response but didn't move his hand.

With a nervous smile, I quietly said, "Okay."

I couldn't see his face but I got the strange feeling he was smiling. Inuyasha's large hands gripped my hips and then he began to enter me . . . from behind! My mouth dropped open in a surprise gasp and, on reflex, I began to push my body towards my dominating demon.

"Kami, fuck, stay still!" Inuyasha snapped as he gripped my hips tighter. "If you move, I'm gonna . . ." He trailed off, instead opting for a groan as he slide himself out and then back in.

I groaned as well, my back arching into a delicate 'u' shape. My toes coiled from the pleasure and heat spread across my face and chest.

Inuyasha's pace started out slow. He was murmuring things that I barely caught; I only understood words few and far between. What I did catch was too dirty for me to repeat, though. I felt like we were the only two people alive in the world in that moment. Everything around us melted away as Inuyasha's hot breath spilled over my ear in rabid pants.

My lover increased speed inside my body. He titled his hips a certain that hit a certain spot that had me crying out in louder than I had intended. I bit my lip hard to contain myself. Inuyasha had complete control over me in this position. I enjoyed it.

I could feel that coiling inside of me that was becoming familiar to me.

"Inu-Inuyasha!" I cried as he reached around my waist to play with my clit once more. The mixed stimulation of the push and pull of Inuyasha inside my body, of his entire being practically wrapped around me, the pressure on that little bead on my body was too much. I quickly came undone. My arm and legs shook beneath me and they could no longer support my weight.

Inuyasha gave a couple more thrusts, his member hitting the edge of me, before finally ripping himself away from me with a growl before he could came. I could do nothing but simple grip the pillow beneath me and catch my breath.

 _At least he's mindful of pregnancy_ , I thought gratefully. I had too much to deal with already; a baby was not something we needed. He understood that perfectly.

Inuyasha collapsed beside me, drawing me against his sweaty, naked chest. I loved the feel of his naked body next to mine. I could live like that for the rest of my life. But the question was: Could I?

"Are you okay?" Inuyasha questioned worriedly, giving a quick peck to my cheek.

I hummed in response. I felt satiated, loved. In that moment, I could not ask for more than that as we drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 **A/N:** Well, that was shitty, but pretty please review anyway!


	17. Fight Back

I AM FINALLY GETTING THIS UP. Yes, it's amazing, and this chapter has come out waaaaaay faster than I expected it to. Though, this is the shortest chapter posted, and I am sorry for that, but it's just how the story is working out. It had to be this short or it would have ended awkwardly. I hope you can forgive me since I got the new chapter up though! Also, **important announcement: I posted a new story titled _Projectile_ and if you haven't read it, do it! I am incredibly excited over it and I would really like more people to read the first chapter and see how you like it!** Okay, I'll stop being annoying and promoting myself, onto the show!

Disclaimer: I do not own _InuYasha_ or _Assassin's Creed_.

* * *

When I awoke, Kagome had of course risen before me, as she usually did whenever I slept in her room. I usually woke up early, assuming I had slept at all, and I wasn't used to being the late sleeper. As I sat up and stretched my sore muscles from our, well, _nighttime activities_ I took a moment to bask in the glow that was my intended mate.

She was sitting at the small table with her legs tucked under her body. Her still-naked body, I cheerfully noted. The young priestess was devouring a bowl of rice and steamed vegetables, from what I smelled. She had an untouched bowl across from her; I assumed it was for me. The sunlight streaming in from the small window casted shadows in the room, throwing sensual darkness over Kagome's small, delicate curves, and blue streaks in her raven hair. The sight itself was mouth-watering to me.

Well, that, and the smell of food. _I'm fucking starving. I'm practically salivating._

I didn't know what prevented me from completing the mating with Kagome last night. I knew that we had every reason not to: Myoga would obviously find out and whatever the hell was happening with Naraku . . . Mating wasn't a risk I was willing to take. I loved Kagome, I was sure of that, but I didn't want our mating to be filled with stress and fear. And I'm positive Kagome wanted to the same thing, too.

"Morning, sunshine," Kagome greeted happily when she saw me stand up. Her blue eyes were shining with playfulness.

"I'm not a fucking sunshine," I grumbled under my breath as I came to sit across from her. Kagome simply laughed as I picked up my chopsticks and began to shovel food into my mouth vigorously. I managed to ask her what she was doing up so early in between mouthfuls.

"I was thinking-"

"You have got to stop thinking so much, woman! I obviously didn't fuck you well enough if you're still able to do all this."

Azure eyes rolled upward in annoyance. "I was thinking about training today!"

I had to resist from frowning. I wanted to stay in here all day . . . "Do you think you're ready for that?"

Kagome nodded. "I've always wanted to learn how to use a bow and arrows for a long time," she admitted sheepishly. "I know priestesses, especially ones trained in the warrior arts, typically use weapons as a conduit for their powers, since they can channel their energy in smaller amounts. So, I thought that maybe if I practiced actually using a bow, I can actually work up to incorporating my energy into the arrows!"

As excited as Kagome was, and I was glad she wanted to learn how to defend herself, I felt a stab of pain that I hadn't in a long time.

 _That's how_ _ **she**_ _used to fight . . ._

"Inuyasha . . .?" Kagome questioned uncertainly.

I shook the unwanted memories from my thoughts. "I think that's a great idea. We have plenty of bows here you can use. I'll even know someone that can help us, including myself, of course."

"Really? You'll help, too?"

This time, I was the one who rolled my eyes. "Duh. You protected me before with your powers. I want to help you control them."

Kagome's countenance beamed with excitement. "Great! Let's go right now!"

"Now?" I repeated incredulously. I was planning on staying in and marking Kagome's body over and over again in a way that wouldn't require me to actually bite her.

The woman across from me set down her empty bowl on the table with a quiet _clack_. I was finishing up my last bites as Kagome stood and strode across the room. My golden eyes followed her movements, watching as her hair swayed from side to side with every step she took, tantalizing me with her pale skin. The strands fell to the small of her back, and I couldn't help but let my eyes wander downward.

I felt a surge of pride. While Kagome wasn't a fighter, she did many psychical things at the High Temple each day. She helped in the gardens whenever she was able, and if she wasn't doing that, then her labors in the village helped contribute to her softly toned body. I smirked as I thought about how all the priests who desired Kagome didn't know what a sight she was underneath her robes.

"You're growling, Inuyasha," Kagome teased, tying off the strands that held together her priestess garb and tucking the Jewel into her pocket.

Quickly, I silenced the low rumble in my throat. "Are you sure we have to go now?"

"Yes, we're going now! I'm ready to get started," my mate replied as she threw my fire rat robe at me. "Now, hurry up, we're wasting daylight."

* * *

The little priestess stared down at the bow in her hands as if it were a snake ready to bite her. Her blue eyes were wide with curiosity and a little bit of fear. I stood a few feet from her, arms and legs crosses lazily while leaning against the wall. We were outside in a corner area where no one could see us if they came outside. Kagome wanted to be trained in secret; after all, a priestess of her standing should already know how to use a bow. She didn't want anyone thinking she was weak. I could understand that.

Ai, one of the only half-demons here at the Kyōdai ai and who agreed to keep this secret, laughed at Kagome's expression. "It's okay, Priestess. It won't hurt you. Think of it as an instrument for you to use; an extension of yourself."

Kagome blushes in embarrassment. "R-right . . ." My intended mate shot a nervous glance my way. I returned it with a half-smile and an encouraging nod. If anyone could do this, it was Kagome.

"Okay," Ai chirped happily, "Why don't we see what your draw looks like?"

Kagome nodded and lifted the bow. Her hand was shaking nervously as she gripped the string and pulled it back. Her arm wobbled as she did so, and she couldn't pull the string back very far.

I held back a laugh; I couldn't help it! Her look of concentration was so damn _cute_! However, I didn't want to make her feel bad and discourage her.

I recovered and snorted to myself, _I am so pussy-whipped._

Ai was keeping her composure together well. She didn't even bat an eye at Kagome's fumbling. Instead, she came over to stand next to Kagome but when she went to touch her, I couldn't hold back the growl that escaped me. Ai's gaze flicked my way, a look of confusion crossing her face, but dropped her hands anyway.

"First, you need to raise the shoulder of your drawing arm. If you have it hanging there, it won't give you any resistance with the bow string."

Doing as she was told, Kagome raised her shoulder, causing her elbow to also raise. Her draw improved slightly.

"Good!" Ai praised. "Next, you need to anchor your arrow. Even though you don't have one right now, it will help your draw. Try putting your hand next to your mouth or cheek."

"Um . . . okay . . ." Uncertainly, Kagome anchored her hand next to her lips. Again, her draw improved.

"Very good, Priestess. Now, we'll practice that until I'm satisfied with your draw."

"How long will that take . . .?" Kagome inquired nervously.

Ai simply smiled and replied, "Until I'm satisfied."

The sun was high in the sky before Ai was satisfied. For hours the two of them worked on Kagome's stance and draw, perfecting it until Kagome was able to fully pull the string back. It came as no surprise to me that my woman learned quickly. I didn't do much; I watched more than I participated. This was more Ai's specialty than mine. However, as I watched Kagome practice with the bow, a twinge of reminiscence hit me. The feeling of watching someone with a bow was familiar . . . but why?

"Wonderful, Priestess. You've done very well," Ai praised. "Why don't we take a lunch break? I have to attend a meeting and after I'm done, we can resume."

"What kind of meeting, Ai? Have you been selected for a mission?" I asked as I walked over to Ai as Kagome was putting her bow back.

Ai nodded and turned her eyes to me. I always thought they were creepy, in a way. They were so clear and green that they seemed to be penetrating you. It came with being a fish demon, I guessed.

"Master wants to offer it to me before I accept. This is my first mission so . . . I'm a little nervous."

I smirked at the fond memory; I had known Ai since she was a little girl. "You'll do fine. You've been training years for this. Don't pussy out now."

Ai laughed while blushing. "I know you wouldn't want that. Actually, can I talk to you for a second? Just for a moment, alone."

"Sure," I nodded as we walked a few feet out of earshot. "What is it?"

"Is she your mate?" Ai immediately asked.

I blanched at the abruptness of the question. "Wh-what . . .?"

"She is, isn't she? It's so obvious!"

I tried to hold back the blush that crept onto my face. Really. I did. "Feh! That wench is not my mate!"

Ai gave me a look. There were no words spoken, but the look said it all: It was complete bullshit. Of course other demons would pick up on Kagome being my mate; they weren't ignorant of our ways.

I sighed in resignation. I couldn't get out of it now.

"Yeah, the Priestess is my mate. But we haven't . . . completed it yet."

The female half-demon cocked her head in confusion. "Why not?"

"It's complicated," I grumbled. Ai didn't need to know everything.

"Okay," Ai responded simply. "I won't pry too much." She reached out and put her hand on my arm comfortingly. "I won't tell the Master. I know what will happen if I do."

I nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Ai. You better get going."

"Right! I'll see you guys after lunch!" she called as she scampered off.

I chuckled to myself. Ai always had boundless amounts of energy, and even though she was a young woman now, she would always be the little child I had met years ago.

Making my way back over to Kagome, the half-smile remaining on my face as I watched her continue to practice with the bow and arrows. The arrows weren't going very far; the frustrated woman would notch one, let it go only to watch it fall to the ground inches from the target, only to let out a huff of annoyance.

Kagome must have felt my gaze on her because she slowly swiveled her head to give me a glare. "What?" she snapped at me. There was an icy fire in her eyes that made me push down a jolt of excitement.

I shook my head. "Nothing. Keep going."

"But, Inuyasha, I'm hungry . . ." the priestess whined.

"Just a few more minutes. Keep going," I ordered again.

Reluctantly, Kagome's look of frustration melted into a pout as she turned to focus on her target practice again.

I watched her shoot a couple more times before I came up behind her and placed my hands on her upper and lower stomach.

Kagome jumped in surprise and gasped.

"Shh," I crooned in her ear, feeling her immediately relax. "Trust me, I'm helping you. Now, notch another arrow but don't shoot it."

Doing as she was told, Kagome grabbed another arrow from the quiver and balanced it between her finger and the bowstring.

Since I was right up against her, I could feel that her stance wasn't strong enough. First, I pressed my hands into her stomach to force Kagome to stand up straighter. Her spine automatically bowed against me and I tried to hold back a smirk; this position was . . . familiar. Next, I slide my hand along the arm that was drawn back to lift her shoulder and elbow higher. This would help her keep tension while she aimed. Kagome said nothing as I did this, only her breath hitched up and her lips parted.

Wrapping my long fingers around the hand holding the bowstring, I whispered in my mate's ear, "Aim and shoot, Kagome. That's all you have to do."

Her tongue flicked out quickly to lick her bottom lip. "That's all . . .?"

"Mhm. Go ahead and try it."

I felt Kagome's stomach constrict as she took a deep breath to stable herself. I slid my fingers away from her hand slowly and put it back on her midsection. I could feel the hard, smooth muscles beneath her kimono. I resisted the urge to stroke them beneath my thumb. It was tantalizing, being this closet to Kagome and yet still so far. Someone could see us like this, and the danger of it all made it somewhat hotter.

I heard Kagome let out the breath she was holding and release the arrow simultaneously. A slow smile curved on her face as we stared at the target. There, just a couple rings away from a bullseye, was Kagome's arrow.

I smiled wide as a feeling of pride at being able to help my mate swelled within me. I wasn't able to resist placing a rewarding kiss on Kagome's neck, right over her heartbeat.

"Good job, mate. That's how you should stand. Do you want to get some food now?"

Kagome dropped the bow on the ground, turning to face me. I placed my hands on her hips and tightly held her to me. This was dangerous.

So, so, _so_ dangerous.

"I'm hungry . . . but not for food," Kagome whispered seductively. Gone was the famous Priestess I met who was innocent and alone. She was no replaced by a confident, lively, sexy woman. It made my hunger for her increase tenfold. Not that Kagome still wasn't innocent, but she had the kind of innocence that looked up at you with big, curious blue eyes that begged you to do new things to her

That was just what I was planning to do. Scooping her onto my back, I bounded through the alleys and hallways of the Kyōdai ai where no one would see us until we reached her room.

Lunch wasn't the only thing being eaten that afternoon.


	18. Guilt

Hello, all! Long time, no read, eh? Look, I'm not even going to make excuses as to why this took me so long other than I was having trouble writing this chapter and life. Just life. But everything is okay now because a new chapter is out! Yay! I won't waste your time with too much of me talking and let's get straight to you reading! Enjoy!

Oh, but if you are reading this, pleeeeeeeeease go check out my new story, _Projectile_! There are only two chapters out so go catch up!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own _InuYasha_ or _Asssassin's Creed_.

* * *

A month's duration passed at the Kyōdai ai. Kagome continued to practice honing her archery skills, and I had to admit that she was learning even quicker than even I anticipated. Even Sango had been helping with her training for the past couple of weeks, whenever she managed to tear herself away from that lecherous monk. The more Kagome progressed, the more I felt guilty for seemingly underestimating her. Kikyo was a master archer of her time, and when she came to stay at my family's castle, I often would watch her practice for hours.

 _And she didn't even need a psychical arrow to put one through my chest . . ._

Shaking the thoughts that were quickly making me return to memory lane. That was not a path I was willingly to go down right now, not while watching Kagome. Today, she was practicing once more with infusing her spiritual powers into an arrow, purifying her enemy in the same shot. The dawn had just peeked over the horizon, illuminating the land in a burning, ethereal glow. The light casted our shadows horizontally, our positions combining the two together.

The sight couldn't help but make me smirk; it certainly was as if Kagome and I were becoming the same person, as of late. We were still unmated- much to my growing displeasure- , but our habits were definitely starting to rub off on each other. I was calmer than I had ever felt in my life. For the first couple of weeks, I was filled to the brim with anxiety over the possibility of our affair being found out.

Many males, both human and demon alike, were in awe that the greatly renowned Priestess was in their mists, and one demon gained the courage to make a pass at her. Luckily, however, Koga has backed off recently. Ayame must have been keeping him under lock and key. While I was still acting as Kagome "bodyguard" (though as this point, she really didn't need it), it took all of the strength I had to not rip into the fucker. The urge had slithered up my spine like a freezing snake, my palms itching to get their hands on him. When the demon went to put his hands on her, I prepared to strike. My instincts wouldn't accept any less; I was closer than I ever had been to losing control. Not even that time Koga revealed his feelings to Kagome had even mad me so angry. I hadn't realized Kagome was my mate then.

Somehow, some way, the young woman was able to calm me down with just a few words whenever I broke in between them. I was ready to kill him; to hell with the consequences! But, when Kagome whispered to me that he wasn't worth it, to not make a scene, I immediately backed down. I may have been ready in that moment to forget the repercussions that would come from my killing him, the punishment was dead for killing a fellow brother. Kagome did not know this, of course, but she was smart enough to know that the result definitely would not be worth it, and she knew that my hotheaded self would not think it through. I, on the other hand, was amazed I let her stop me. I felt like a whipped dog!

Well, that was until I took her into my room and _kindly_ reminded her who she belonged to.

Kagome, on the other hand, was becoming fierier. Not in many obvious ways, and those who were not as personal with her would most likely not pick up on it, but her actions in sex were especially more bold, more daring. I could tell it was originating from there and I was anxious to see that fire in other ways. Not that I didn't appreciate when she tried to take control, either. It was quite the challenge- a fun challenge.

"You're smirking, Inuyasha," Kagome observed softly, knowing I could hear her even so.

My right ear flicked in amusement. "Had a few memories going through my head."

"Good memories?" She released the arrow she was holding.

"I was thinking about how I had to pry your ass out of bed this morning," I teased.

"Only because a certain half-demon decided to not let me get any sleep last night," Kagome fired back while turning to face me.

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you complaining?" I started taking steps towards her, like a hunter stalking its prey. Kagome didn't move.

"Did you hear me complaining?"

"No," I said. I didn't speak again until I was standing directly in front of her, our chests nearly touching. This was dangerous, I reminded myself of this every time I got close to her in public. Did I ever listen to myself though? _Fuck no_.

"I didn't hear you complaining. In fact, I heard a lot of, 'Yes, Inuyasha,' coming out of that sweet little mouth of yours."

"Really now? And what else did you hear?" Her voice remained leveled, but in her scent, there was no denying the familiar spike that signaled her growing excitement. Sometimes it was so damn _easy_ to get her riled up. And the fact that she was in her priestess garb, something that signaled such purity, while she was getting turned on made it that much more fun for me.

I loved it. I made the mental note that I was slightly turning into a whipped pussy.

"Ah, Kagome," I purred, "the things you said made a delicate demon like me blush."

The young priestess let out a soft laugh. "You were being anything but delicate last night, Inuyasha."

I frowned slightly. "Did I hurt you?" I knew my instincts were causing me to get a bit riled up but I didn't want to cause Kagome harm because I couldn't control myself.

She shook her head. "No, of course not. I would tell you if you had."

I nodded and reached for her waist, my fingers grasping for the material so I could pull her closer. "Good. Because if I had to stop touching you . . ."

Kagome sighed. "I know waiting to mate is killing you, but I really do appreciate that you're willing to do this. I have to keep you safe from . . . whatever is coming for us."

I couldn't hold back the smile that crossed my lips. "I'm supposed to be the one protecting you."

Kagome smiled, too. "I think I can do the protecting every once in a while, Inuyasha."

I hummed; Kagome was badass enough for the job. Without training, she was able to protect me from a kitsune demon with little issue, except that she passed out from expending more energy at once than she was used to. Kami knew what power she could expel now that she did have training under belt.

Deciding that her lips looked too tempting for not to give in, I began to lean in slowly, building the anticipation, making her scent rise higher and higher . . .

"Hey!"

Jumping back from each other in surprise, I whipped around to see who the sharp cry came from. My hackles were raised from the surprise and fear. Had someone seen us? Were we found out?

Ai was running towards us and I relaxed at the sight of her. My old friend wasn't someone to worry about.

"What's up, Ai?" I greeted nonchalantly, as if Kagome and I hadn't been about to found in a very compromising position.

"I'm sorry to, uh, interrupt," Ai blushed when she reached us, "but the Master wants to see you."

I frowned in confusion. "Why?" I couldn't think of a reason for Myoga to need me. _Is he reassigning me? Am I going to have to get a new mission now?_ The thought made my body turn into ice. That couldn't happen. It _wouldn't_ happen.

Ai shrugged. "You think he tells me? He just wanted me to tell you to hurry up. I'm about to leave for my mission so don't keep the old bastard waiting."

"First mission, eh? What did you get?"

Ai smirked. "You know I can't tell you that."

I chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Be safe, kid. I don't want to have to come drag your ass out of trouble."

"It wouldn't be the first time." A serious look crossed Ai's face, her blue eyes deepening. "You be safe, too, Inuyasha. I'm serious."

I knew what she was saying: Be safe with Kagome. Little did Ai know I was already in too deep for me to care about all of that. Discovering Kagome was my mate made everything seem insignificant; the promise the Kyōdai ai held for me for years was dull compared to the one Kagome's existence gave me.

"I'll do what I have to do, Ai," I murmured. There more words not spoken than spoken in that moment.

With a nod and a final wave to Kagome and me, the female demon left quickly.

I glanced at Kagome. Myoga wanted to see us, together. The thought unnerved me greatly. Something didn't sit right in the situation.

"We have to go," She replied simply.

After a moment of waging war between two parts of myself, I acquiesced.

"Alright. Let's go see what the old bastard wants."

* * *

I stood behind Inuyasha as he warily knocked on the door to Myoga's office. My demon's uneasiness was beginning to affect me, too, and I could feel tumultuous waves wreaking havoc in my stomach. I tried to keep positive, innocent thoughts flowing through my mind, but my better judgement wouldn't let me. It had been a month since we had fled the High Temple and not a word had come from them to see if we were in the Kyōdai ai.

 _At least, there had been no communication between the two that we knew of_ , the unwarranted thought passed through me. I shook it from my head quickly; Inuyasha trusted the people in his home. I had to do the same.

A reply beckoning us to enter sounded after my protector's knock. After giving me a small, nervous glance, Inuyasha pushed open the door, leading me inside. I had never been in Myoga's office (In fact, I hadn't really done much exploring of the place during my stay) but now I could see it was the grandest room in the temple. Thousands of books lined the walls, even spiraling down a flight of stairs that indicated there were more floors to the office. Flags of the Kyōdai ai's symbol hung from rafters in the ceiling, ornately carved columns stood from floor to roof. I always wondered if they had a library here; it seems I had found it.

Myoga looked up from the piece of parchment he was holding. "Ah, Inuyasha, Priestess, please sit down. Thank you for coming quickly."

"Of course, Master," Inuyasha replied respectfully as we took seats beside each other. "What do you need?"

With a sigh, Myoga set down the parchment to shuffle through other papers. He didn't say a word as he looked through them. The anticipation made me want to reach over and grab Inuyasha's hand for support, but of course I could not do so. It's amazing how important his touch was to me now, how important it was to me he very first time he had touched my wrist. That was the first time a man had ever touched me that was not in need of my help. I was slowly learning that touch was a powerful thing that could take over even the purest of souls.

But did Inuyasha's touch make me impure? If that were so, wouldn't the Jewel be tainted? I didn't know enough about myself or the Shikon Jewel to answer that question. The thoughts passing through my head caused me to clutch the tiny orb in my pocket.

"Out with it, old man!" Inuyasha snapped impatiently. "We ain't got all day!"

"Always so impatient," Myoga mumbled under his breath, but from his tone I could tell he was saying it light-heartedly. Pulling out a piece of paper, the old flea demon once again sighed. "I received a letter early this morning," he fixed me with a beady stare, "from the High Temple."

My eyes widened a fraction but I quickly covered my shock with a passive expression. I was the Priestess now, someone who was not ruled by emotions. "What did it say?"

Myoga hesitated. "I am very sorry, Priestess . . ."

Inuyasha growled. "Goddammit, you old bastard, what did the letter say?"

The Master fixed the half-demon with an annoyed stare before continuing, "The High Temple came under attack three days ago. They say it was Naraku who attacked them, in search of the Priestess."

The weight of his words caused the waves in my belly to turn into a hurricane. I felt like I was going to be sick. I felt the blood drain from my face, my skin to turn pale, and my body to become numb. The only thing I could muster was a word of disbelief.

A sympathetic look passed over Myoga's face. "I'm sorry, Priestess. If you would like, you're welcome to stay here-"

"Where are they?" I broke in.

"Where . . . ? The letter mentioned they found refuge in a nearby village. But I wouldn't recommend leaving. Demons who follow Naraku are sure to be looking for you, Priestess."

"Master-"

"Myoga, please." It was my turn to be interrupted.

I gave him any smile I could muster, which probably wasn't a great one. "Myoga, thank you for allowing me to stay here, but those are my people. I don't deserve my title of Priestess if I don't even help those who raised me. I'll go alone if I have to, but I'm leaving today. As soon as possible," I amended.

I couldn't read his face as Myoga stared at me. I couldn't tell what he was thinking, so I tried to read his aura. It was blue . . . that meant he was calm. Well, that could mean anything.

The Master nodded. "Do what you have to, Priestess. I won't stop you. Of course, Inuyasha is still assigned to you, so he will accompany you, as well."

"You still want me assigned to her?" Inuyasha asked cautiously.

 _So, Myoga still must not know about us,_ I thought in relief. I got up from my chair to head towards the door. I was ready to leave, so keep my adopted family out of harm's way. I already failed them once when I ran for selfish reasons.

Myoga nodded. "Of course. You have been doing well with the Priestess. I wouldn't dream of reassigning you right now. This time is critical to keep her safe. I advise you take Koga, too."

I saw the half-demon's ears droop a fraction in disappointment at the mention of Koga.

Inuyasha noticed I had gotten up from my chair and quickly nodded at the old flea before standing. "Thank you, Myoga. I promise to keep her safe." I felt as if he were making that promise more to me than him.

Once we were out of the room, I started marching in the direction of my room to gather my things. No time could be wasted.

"Ka-Priestess, slow down!" For once, Inuyasha was running to catch up with me. "We have to think about this."

"I don't have time to think, Inuyasha. We need to leave. Just us. I'm not risking anyone else. I barely want to risk you but I know you will insist on coming so I won't bother arguing." I knew my voice sounded cold and clipped, but I couldn't help it; my guilt was too strong.

"Just us . . .?" His voice sounds hopeful but guarded.

When we reached the room in which I was staying, I nodded as I began to throw things into a sack. "Just us. Sango has been hurt enough and Koga will be safer here. I know he's assigned to me, too, but we don't need more risk than necessary."

"Kagome, think about this! This is a time when you need to be laying low. Naraku will be expecting you to go to the High Temple. That will be his perfect time to attack you!"

I whirled on him, my hair flapping into my face. "I don't care!"

Inuyasha's eyes suddenly seemed afraid, his aura was grey, which signals uneasiness. He even took a step back in fear from my aura rising in anger. The suddenly spike in power had me feeling unsteady on my feet, like the time I protected Inuyasha in the woods. I stumbled slightly in order to grad onto the low table. Inuyasha began to step forward, worry evident in his eyes, but his demon instincts forced him to stay away so he wouldn't be purified. For once, I was grateful for the lack of touch.

With a heavy sigh, my shoulders heavy, I stared down at the woof floor as I murmured, "I have to protect them. I left and they were attacked. I left for very selfish reasons when I should have just faced the consequences. If I don't do this, then I don't deserve the title of Priestess. A title that means protection, strength, and purity. I don't . . . I don't know if I'm any of that anymore."

"Kagome-"

"Don't! Just . . . don't, okay? I need you to go get me a bow and some arrows. We'll leave after that." I couldn't stand to be comforted. Not right now. Not when I didn't deserve it.

After a moment, Inuyasha nodded and backed out of the room silently. When I was alone, I could feel a deep pit of bile in my belly. Suddenly, I realized I was feeling Inuyasha's emotions; he was feeling rejected, confused, and afraid. He thought I was going to push him away. Is that what I would do? Push him away because of my guilt?

I didn't know the answer to that.

* * *

It took us two days to reach the High Temple; Kagome insisted on sleeping less and moving more. Even though I had a companion in Kagome, our travels were lonely. My mate barely let me touch her, and if I did, it was only when I carried her as I ran. I was just beginning to be able to feel her emotions as my own, but I no longer could because her grief shut me out. My instincts whimpered inside me to help my mate but she refused to let me! Her guilt over loving me and the choices it caused her to make was difficult for her. However, that guilt didn't seem to be turning into regret so I wasn't ready to flip my shit yet. I understood that Kagome needed to process things, and that she wanted to do it alone, but goddammit, I was her _mate!_ I was the one that was there to protect her and love her and keep her happy. I couldn't do that anymore, not when I was the cause of her grief.

We encountered no demons on our journey, which I found strange enough. I was prepared for followers of Naraku to be on the search for her but there wasn't even a peep from the smallest of demons. Perhaps Naraku ordered them to stay away, that she was his prey. The thought made me growl; I wouldn't let the bastard touch her!

When we entered the temple grounds, they were barely recognizable. Trees were bent in half, and pretty much everything else was burned or destroyed in some other way. Half of the roof of the temple was in tatters and various parts of the building were burned, leaving gaping holes that seemed to suck up everything around it. The air was dry but sweltering, as if the fire was still present around us. The oxygen was taken out of me from the dryness, and when I glanced at Kagome, I saw that Kagome wasn't breathing at all. Her blue eyes were wide with fear at the sight of the destruction.

"Which village are they in, Kagome?" I whispered.

She swallowed hard and licked her lips before answering, "It's not far from here. About a mile or two."

Nodding, I crouched down to let her wordlessly climb onto my back, and after a moment's hesitation, I felt Kagome's warmth press against me, felt her thighs under my palms. It was so _sweet_ to be able to touch her.

It took me only minutes to reach the neighboring village. I was disappointed at the early arrival, as I knew I had to put Kagome down as a result, but I knew I had to before anyone could see us.

"Thank you, Inuyasha," she whispered. Her gorgeous blue eyes stared straight ahead.

I nodded. "Of course."

I followed my mate as she led the way through the village, obviously familiar at the path she was taking. We stayed silent the whole time; this was becoming the norm for us.

My ear twitched as I heard the growing mumbling of voices coming closer. Or, rather, we were coming closer to them. The number of voices was great in number, I noticed. They must be the survivors of the attack. Rounding the corner of the hut, we approached a group of people. Perhaps fifty humans were huddled together, some were laying on mats, wrapped up in bandages, and other huddled over them to give them drink and medicine. However, all of them led to an individual in the center, like this person was the thread that held everyone together.

I continued to follow Kagome as made her way through the crowd towards the person in the center, the whispers growing as they began to notice that the run-away Priestess was in their midst. I understood; Kagome had that effect on people that made then stop and stare in awe.

Kagome stopped moving when she was less than a foot away from the person in the center. Their hair was grey, long hair tied back into a traditional ponytail, and their robes were completely white. I could see that this person was tending to one of the injured.

"High Priest," Kagome greeted solemnly. "I came as soon as I heard . . ."

"Priestess," the High Priest replied quietly, "I had the feeling ye would come." They turned, and from over Kagome's shoulder, I could see their face.

The High Priest was not that of a man, but was indeed a woman, despite the title of "Priest".

I stared at the wrinkled face for a few moment, thinking that it was somehow familiar. I knew I had never met the High Priest before. At least, not the best of my knowledge. But then I realized that I hadn't met this person when they were the High Priest or even when they were a woman.

I blinked in confusion.

"Kaede?"

* * *

Boom! Big reveal and cliffhanger, huh? Now, please tell me if you saw it coming that Kaede was the High Priest or if it's a total surprise. Seriously, I need to know if I can write mystery like that. Review, please! Consider it a birthday gift! Also, once again, go check out my new story, _Projectile!_ Thanks for reading!


	19. Ghosts

ALRIGHT, EVERYONE, ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?

Okay, sorry for the shouty capitals, but I'm so excited this chapter is finally going up! It had LOTS of juicy stuff in it so I hope this makes up for the time I was absent. For those of you that read _Projectile_ , I should have chapter four up next week. I'm going to be traveling so I should have a good few hours to write while I'm sitting in airports. If there are any typos in this chapter, I'll go back and fix them later. For now, I sincerely apologize.

Anyway, on with the chapter! I won't leave you guys hanging any longer. However, **please read the note at the end! Thanks!**

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own _InuYasha_ or _Assassin's Creed_.

* * *

"Kaede?"

The strangled sound came from my mouth before I could even process it. In the moment after I uttered the name, my brows furrowed together in confusion. I knew this person's name, recognized them as soon as I saw their face- their scent was also familiar- but the memory of how I knew this person was buried deep within like a distant dream. No matter how hard I tried to conjure up details, it was impossible. I knew the old woman . . . but I didn't. _Why?_

The old hag slowly rose to her feet; I could hear her joints popping as she did so. Age was written on every part of her being.

"Come," Kaede rasped. "Let us talk where we will not be overheard."

Kagome kept looking between us, the confusion on her face likely mirroring my own, but she kept silent, simply following the woman she knew as the High Priest into the edge of forest. Luckily, there were no demons save myself in the village, so we did not have to go too far for privacy. This was when Kagome finally spoke up.

"You two know each other?"

"Not for many years," Kaede answered. "But I doubt ye remember that time, Inuyasha."

"Who the fuck are you and how do you know me?" I barked defensively. The Kyōdai ai had taught me to know everything about any mission I was assigned, and somehow this person's identity had escaped me. Was I getting sloppy because of my love for the priestess or was this High Priest just that good at keeping themselves are secret? I desperately hoped it was the latter.

"Ye know who I am, do ye not? After all, ye said my name," she replied cryptically.

"But I don't know how! So start talking!"

I didn't mean to sound so harsh, but my inability to conjure up anything behind me knowing this old hag's name was starting to freak me out.

Kaede nodded, kneeling down to sit on a fallen tree branch. She placed her knarled hands in her lap before starting her explanation.

"What do ye remember of a Kikyo, Inuyasha?"

I blinked slowly at the question. The old hag knew Kikyo?

"I . . . I knew her a long time ago . . ." I stuttered. It had been such a long time since I had spoken about the woman from my past that it was hard for me to talk now. My eyes flickered to Kagome, who was standing a few feet away from me, as if she did not want to be there. Of course, I had never mentioned Kikyo to her. What happened to us occurred man years ago; I didn't want Kagome to burden herself over such a trivial thing.

 _Trivial_ , I thought to myself, _except for the fact she was the first woman I ever loved, the first person I had ever gotten close to._

"Tell me how ye knew her."

I swallowed hard, preparing to share the story. "We met when she came to my father's castle. She was invited there, or something, because she was a powerful priestess. I didn't really care why she was there," I shrugged. "We spent a lot of time together. You can guess what happened from there."

Kaede nodded. "Ye fell in love. What happened between ye two?"

"She left me when I told my old man I was denouncing my title," I growled. "There was no other way for us to be together; a priestess of her stature couldn't love a half-demon like me and my father would have arranged a marriage for me. I joined the Kyōdai ai after I had nowhere else to go. My father wouldn't let me return to our lands after I disgraced him. I tried to track down Kikyo but when I did . . . she put an arrow in my chest."

My hand subconsciously had come up to rest on the spot just to the left of my heart. Kikyo had missed it by mere inches. Which was odd; I never known her to be a bad shot. I had often wondered if she was aiming to kill or if she had decided against it because of what we had.

Everyone was silent for moment that seemed to stretch on forever. I avoided looking at Kagome while I spoke but now I dared to look at her. I found those blue orbs to be fixed on me but I could not read what was held inside of them. A deep frown was marring her plump, pink lips. She did not try to approach me.

Kaede broke the silence.

"Do ye wish to hear the true story from the beginning? I understand if ye would like to remember things as ye do now. I am afraid the truth is not much better."

"What do you mean by 'true story'? That's not what happened?"

"That is what ye remember but that is not what happened. Ye's memories have been altered to remember that time differently."

I blinked, unable to process this completely. "What? Why?"

"There were certain . . . events that Kikyo did not want ye to remember out of fear of what it would cause. So, do ye wish to know?"

"I want to know everything," I affirmed, with no hesitation. If the truth had been concealed from me for all of these years, then I had every fucking right to know why my memories were altered.

"Fifty years ago, my sister, Kikyo, was the protector of the Shikon Jewel. It was given to her by a tribe of demon slayers. They told us it was found it after battling a demon. It was Kikyo's mission to keep the Jewel pure and to protect it from demons. We lived in a small, peaceful village in Mushashi's domain. That is, until Kikyo possessed the Shikon Jewel. Many demons came to plague our village, ye among them, Inuyasha."

My eyebrows raised in surprise at this but I remained silent, eager to hear the tale of Kikyo and me.

"I am not positive as to how ye met exactly, but I do know that ye wanted the Jewel. It was always odd to me how ye never seemed to hurt each other, but I was just a child who did not know the ways of these things. And so, I watched as my sister gradually fell in love with you, as she would often stay out late to see you or have you accompany her to exterminate demons. Kikyo was . . . happy, in a way I had never seen my sister feel joy before."

Kaede's mouth dropped into a frown and she croaked, "Everything changed when Kikyo took in a bandit who was paralyzed from the waist down. She hid him in a cave, nursed him to health, but the bandit would never move again. One day, when Kikyo was out on a mission with ye, Inuyasha, I had to go and check on the bandit, who went by the name Onigumo-"

"Onigumo?" I gasped. "No, that . . . that can't be right! I killed an Onigumo after I joined the Kyōdai ai!"

The High Priest seemed to consider this for a moment, but continued, "That day, Onigumo questioned me about Kikyo and Jewel. He obviously desired its power, but as he was paralyzed, he was unable to fulfill that desire. However, after that day in the cave, Kikyo nor I ever saw the bandit again. We figured a demon had taken him as a meal. Not long after that, many more demons began to come for my sister, and ye promised Kikyo to use the Shikon Jewel in order to become human, so ye may live out your life together."

"On the day Kikyo was to bring ye the Jewel, however, ye attacked her."

" _What?_ " I hissed. "I never attacked Kikyo! I would never even wound her!" Did I? I couldn't even remember that time, so it was possible. Still, that didn't feel right to me . . .

Kaede nodded. "Aye, even the most pure of demons fall to the seduction of the Shikon Jewel. The wounds ye inflicted on Kikyo were the ones that sealed her fate. Ye attacked the village, stole the Jewel, and that is when my sister trapped you to a tree with the last ounce of strength she had. And that is when my sister died from her wounds."

"Ki . . . Kikyo died?" The knowledge of this was a weight pressing down on my lungs, making it hard to breathe. I had always assumed that Kikyo lived out her life and had died peacefully. I could see why she wanted me to remain unaware of her death. It hurt more than I cared for it to.

"Aye. The spell she used in her arrow was not meant to kill you, Inuyasha. She didn't want ye to remember the betrayal ye dealt each other, or that ye had been a cause of her death. Ye have known many pains in ye's life, so she created a reality for ye where ye's father was alive and that you had grown up in his court. She also had to create a reality where she left ye to prevent ye from suspecting her death. Kagome is Kikyo's reincarnation; she being born with the Jewel born inside of her is proof of that."

 _I betrayed Kikyo? Kagome is her reincarnation?_ The words kept repeating in my head, burning themselves into my brain, but no matter how hard they tried, it didn't seem real. This old hag could have been making the whole thing up! She had no proof of anything she said! I killed an Onigumo on my first mission and that's not a very popular name. None of it made _sense_ to me.

Everything was getting too heavy on my mind, the crushing thought of me possibly betraying the first woman I ever loved was too much.

I had to run. My feet were itching with the sensation to get away, to run and run and never stop until my head was cleansed of these thoughts. With my feet already starting to turn, I shot a panicked look to my mate. Kagome's countenance went from one of calm contemplation to that of shock when she realized what I was about to do. She opened her mouth to say something, but her words fell on deaf ears.

I was already gone.

* * *

I was sure my mouth was hanging open like a fish's as I watched Inuyasha sprint away, leaving so quickly that actual dust kicked up in his wake.

 _What is going on?_

The strangled thought went through my head as if I were crying aloud; so many things had happened that my brain was starting to shut down, unable to process it all. I had been distant from the man who was my mate since we left the Kyōdai ai, and I realized this, but watching him run away from me made my heart tear in two. The way he looked at me . . . I never wanted to see that again.

"Kagome, child, are ye alright?" An old, withered voice broke through my clouded mind.

The reminder of Kaede's presence made me shake my head, trying to dispel my thoughts. She could not know that Inuyasha's departure has affected me in any way.

"Yes, High Priest, I am. It's just . . . a lot to process at once." I frowned as a sudden thought passed my mind. "Do you still want me to call you High Priest or . . . ?"

The old woman chuckled. "Ye may call me Kaede in private if ye wish. I have known ye for many years, Kagome, and I do not believe ye will tell anyone my secret."

"Why do you keep your real name a secret?" I pried curiously.

"It is a tradition that, once ye are appointed as High Priest, ye abandon any names, titles, or life ye may have known before. A High Priest must serve unbiased for the Shintō faith, and therefore your past life will not serve ye."

"How did you become the High Priest?"

"After my sister died, it fell on me to train in the spiritual arts in order to protect our village. Of course, I never matched Kikyo in spiritual power, but I was able to create a barrier to protect our village from demons. In fact, Kikyo was set to perform the test to become the next High Priest until she came to guard the Shikon Jewel. She was no longer eligible because, as a High Priest, ye can have no other pre-existing duties of that magnitude.

"So, after my sister passed, the High Temple sought me out in my village. They told me that I would stay and train in my home, but when I was ready, I would come to live at the High Temple and train under Shintō priests, so that I may become to the next High Priest, should I be able to pass the tests set before me."

After Kaede finished speaking, she slowly came to stand. My eyes roamed over her aura; it was gold, which meant contentment, but there was a slight twinge of green marring the outside ring. I frowned, was Kaede sick? I knew her joints had been bothering her as of late, but I always assumed it was from old age. Was there something at play that I was unaware of?

"We must return, Kagome," she murmured. "There are still those that need to be tended to and I fear being away for too long."

"Of course, Kaede," I agreed softly. "You should rest. I'll finish with the healings and everything tonight. I don't want you to overwork yourself."

"That would mean a great deal to me, child," Kaede sighed, exhaustion masking her features. "We shall talk more tomorrow, yes?"

I gave her an affirming nod. I muttered my agreement, and thought to myself, _I will discuss more important matters with her then, like the Jewel. I don't want to trouble her more tonight_.

Guiding her with my arm looped through her, I led Kaede to a hut that had been provided for us by the kind villagers. As I thanked them for letting myself, Kaede, and the other residents from the temple reside in their village, the headman of the village insisted it was nothing at all. They were grateful for all the deeds I had done for them over the years, and while I blushed from their high praise, I was grateful for their kindness. I helped Kaede into her futon, and when she finally drifted off to sleep, I left to attend to injuries.

I worked for hours. I purified infected injuries, bandaged broken bones, made poultices from herbs that Kaede had gathered, and made sure everyone was fed. Hojo even managed to find me, and I was relieved to see that he only sustained minor injuries. I worked until the moon was high above me, reflecting a silence that I greatly appreciated. Returning to my duties of healing the sick and injured reminded me of why I loved it. I had always loved helping others; I found my reward in their smiles, by giving them life, not in their praise.

It was odd how, while my duty of protecting the Jewel was always the one that Kaede wanted me to focus one, I never felt the same way. I was always more concerned with healing those in need; the Jewel was more of an afterthought, It never became a reality for me until it was expelled from my body. Even then, as I sat on a hill a few yards from the heart of the village, I placed my hand over the tiny orb in my pocket to reassure myself that it was real. It seemed to have a pulse, something that I had never noticed before, that beat in time with mine. It was almost as if the Shikon Jewel and I were becoming one.

With a sigh, I rested my chin on my drawn up knees, trying to sort through all of the thoughts in my head. I needed to tell Kaede about the Jewel reemerging once again into this world. I needed to figure out what I was exactly going to do about said Jewel. How was I going to purify it? Where did I go from here? And what about . . .

 _Inuyasha?_

The name that flickered across my mind came unbidden. He had been gone for hours; my heart was starting to ache for him. I wanted him near me now more than ever. But then I remembered the way he looked at me before he ran off . . . and the heart that beat for him nearly broke in two. I had no doubt that Inuyasha loved me; him risking his life to protect me proved that to me more than sex ever could. However, I feared that his knowledge – assuming he chose to believe Kaede about what really happened between him and Kikyo - of me being her reincarnation would force him to view me differently. I didn't want that. I wanted Inuyasha to see me as me, not a woman who had loved and betrayed him, as he betrayed her.

 _But did he betray her?_ I frowned. Inuyasha betraying anyone seemed so out of character for him. Yes, he was breaking the rules of his brotherhood to be with me, but he was not betraying them. He was a man who was loyal to a fault of anyone that he deemed worthy of it. I decided then and there to look more into what happened between him and Kikyo; perhaps there could be a way to unlock his memories.

I was so wrapped up in my ponderings that I did not hear the shuffling footsteps approaching me, nor did I look up until my name was called.

"Kagome."

Whipping my head around to look over my shoulder, I saw my mate standing behind me. I quickly moved to stand but I did not approach him. I was rooted to the spot, afraid of what he might say. Would he leave me now? Could I bear it if he did?

Inuyasha was not looking at me, eyes fixated on the ground, his silver bangs covering them. He almost looked ashamed.

 _Good_ , I thought bitterly, my fear getting the best of my emotions, _He should._

He swallowed hard before he said, "I . . . had to go think for a while . . ."

I nodded. "I know," I whispered.

Those golden eyes slowly lifted to look at me. "I'm sorry I made you worry."

"I-I know," I whispered again, my voice almost breaking.

Inuyasha must have heard my voice crack, because as soon as it was out, he started making steps towards me.

"Kagome-"

"Are you going to leave me?" I blurted, my voice quivering all the while.

"What?" he whispered in surprise. "What the hell are you-"

"I understand if I remind you of her," I interrupted, the words spilling off of my tongue. "I understand if that would make you stop loving me. I just . . . I just can't have you look at me like that again! It was like you weren't even seeing me . . ."

I wasn't even aware I was weeping until clawed hands were cradling my face and callused fingers wiped away my tears. I should have cared that we were standing out in the open and could be seen, but I did not as soon as I looked into Inuyasha's eyes. Gone was the fearful, cold expression; it was replaced by the warm amber I loved. It was a look that filled my stomach with butterflies. His eyes were the first thing I ever noticed about him, I randomly remembered in that back of my mind. Everything crashing down on me made me stop caring.

"Kagome, I . . ." Inuyasha growled in frustration before trying again. "Dammit, woman, _I love you_. You being Kikyo's reincarnation or whatever couldn't stop me from loving you. We don't even know if that old hag was telling the truth!"

"What reason would she have to lie?" I whimpered.

"I don't know. I'll deal with that later. All I know is that we're going to stay together through whatever happens. Anything that tries to tear us apart can go to hell. I know we haven't mated yet but I wouldn't be able to leave you anyway. I can't. My instincts wouldn't let me." He tucked my head under his chin and his arms came to rest around me. "You're it for me, Kagome. I've had fifty years to move on from Kikyo, and while I did love her, it was nothing like what I feel for you."

His words washed over me and my tears started to subside. It felt so good to be touched by him again.

"And you can't feel guilty over what happened to your temple," he continued softly. "It will only eat you alive inside. You have given your life to these people. The attack wasn't your fault; you couldn't have prevented it even if you were here. We'll go back to the temple tomorrow, see if we can find any answers as to who attacked it, but you have to let that shit go. Be selfish for once in your goddamn life! Even if that involves me."

I laughed as he finished, practically feeling the smirk that I could not see.

"Thank you, Inuyasha," I rubbed my face against his chest affectionately, "and I love you, too."

Inuyasha's fingers curled under my chin in order to pull my face upwards. Without a moment's hesitation, he placed a sweet kiss on my lips. My eyes instantly slid closed; it had felt like an eternity since we had last kissed. This kiss was one that held all of our emotions: fear, uncertainty, love, contentment with each other.

Right then and there, I felt a shift in our relationship and within myself. With more stacked against us than ever, Inuyasha, nor myself, was certain of what our future held. Not tomorrow, not the next day, or any day after that. However, we would always have each other. Inuyasha would never leave me, nor would I leave him. We would deal with our troubles tomorrow, but for now, I allowed myself this moment with my mate beneath the stars, the kami watching over us.

I only prayed they gave us their blessing.

The next morning, before the sun had even peaked over the horizon, Inuyasha and I set out to look at the remains of the High Temple. When we got there, it turned out that 'remains' was a loose term to what was left of my home. Fire had consumed everything, the demons had torn the infrastructure apart; it was like looking at a sudden flashback of Sango's village. In fact, it was eerily similar. The demons had struck quickly and destroyed everything totally. We were lucky there weren't more casualties – we could have been completely wiped out like Sango's was – but any lives lost was a tragedy. I made the mental note to make sure that our dead would receive proper burials, no matter it they were a servant or a priest, high born or low born. That is assuming there were bodies to bury.

"Well," Inuyasha sighed, "all of the documents and everything the High Temple had were burned. Whatever demons attacked this place wanted to make damn sure nothing was left."

"I don't think this was random," I stated, looking at him out of the corner of my eye. "This feels too similar to what happened to Sango's village."

"You think that demon Naraku is behind this?"

I nodded. "It's possibly. He attacked Sango's village, where the Jewel originated. I'm the protector of the Jewel and now there's been an attack on my home. I just have this feeling that it can't be purely coincidental."

"If that's the case, then don't you think he attacked your home to draw you out? To lower your defenses?" Inuyasha's voice kept growing louder as he continued, "Fucking hell, Kagome, we need to go back to the Kyōdai ai! We have tons of assassins there that can help guard you. No one would be able to get to you!"

Placing my hands on his chest, I shushed his rising anxiety soothingly, my thumbs rubbing small circles against the fabric of his haori. I waited until his aura was calm once more before I spoke.

"We can't go back there. At least, not yet. Whether Naraku wanted to draw me out in the open or not, I can't abandon these people. They need me more than ever. Besides, suppose we do go back to the Kyōdai ai. What then? Naraku attacks us there and I endanger more lives? I can't risk that. I _won't_ risk that. I still have more questions for Kaede, anyway."

"Like what?"

I shook my head. "I'll tell you after she and I talk. I don't want you worrying unnecessarily."

"Too bad, woman. I'm worried," the half-demon growled.

A small laugh escaped me. "I'm fine, Inuyasha." I reached my hand up to place my palm over his cheek. "Even I can handle myself from time to time."

Inuyasha reclined his head into my hand slightly. "You're a strong woman, Kagome. I know you can handle yourself." A light blush crept up onto his cheeks. "I just don't want you to do anything alone," he admitted.

I smiled, a warm sensation creeping across my chest. "I know, and I know you'll be there whenever I need you, but some things I have to do alone."

He nodded reluctantly, his eyes roaming over my face. "Keh, as long as you fill me in later, I guess it's okay . . ."

By that point, the sun was stretching over the earth, reaching its long arms and basking us in an orange sunrise. He must have read something on my face because he was pulling me closer, a strong arm around my waist.

"Don't say we have to go back," he muttered. "It's been so long since I've gotten to touch you."

I let out a soft sigh as I felt the heat of his large hand spread across my lower back. It was hard for me to go back to that village when I knew I could sneak somewhere with Inuyasha, but that wouldn't be right. I had to finish my duty first.

"I know," I sighed. "But we do have to go back. Just for a little while. We can . . . we can be together tonight," I blushed.

Inuyasha growled lowly. "Just us?"

"Maybe," I smiled. "I'll think about it."

Forcing his arm from around me, I stepped around my mate and made my way back towards the village. I had injuries inspect, and after that, I would speak to Kaede.

No more than a couple of hours later, the woman who was known to me as High Priest and I were finished making our rounds through the crowd of injuries. Hojo tried to hold a conversation with me a few times, but after warning growls from Inuyasha, he eventually gave up. Hojo had always been persistent but I was shocked at my mate's audacity out in the open. If Kaede caught on to anything, she didn't show it. I knew Inuyasha's instincts towards me were getting stronger, as he already nearly had multiple fights at the Kyōdai ai, so I decided not to scold him on it. Not that I wasn't grateful; I couldn't have the young priest hovering over me while I was trying to heal.

As Kaede and I were washing our hands in the stream, I realized I hadn't bathed since I was at Inuyasha's home four days ago (or more, at this point). I wrinkled my nose in distaste; kami knew what I smelled liked to Inuyasha! I had been so caught up in everything I momentarily forgot how to function like a normal, hygienic human being.

 _Not that I was ever normal . . ._

"What preoccupies ye's mind, Kagome?"

I whipped my head to the sound of the croaking voice next to me as I dried my hand on a rag. Kaede was gazing at me with her one curious eye.

"Ironically, how I haven't bathed in a few days." I let out an incredulous laugh. "It's funny the things a woman thinks about when it seems that nothing is as it once was."

The elder priestess chuckled. "Ye have had a lot of pressure on you for a while now, if not ye's whole life. I would like to think ye are allowed a few normal womanly thoughts." She stayed silent for a moment before stating, "I am sorry to say, though, ye are still not allowed to love a man, demon or human."

I sucked in a hiss of breath in between my teeth. So, she knew about Inuyasha and me after all. Whoever saw us that day must have told her. I was now faced with the dilemma of how to respond. Did I try to deny it? Try to rationalize it? No, neither of those options were what II wanted; denying it meant denying how much Inuyasha meant to me.

"I . . . did not mean for that to happen on purpose," I began softly. "You know I would never do anything to betray you or the High Temple or my duty to protect the Shikon Jewel."

"Ye have given so much to ye's faith, Kagome, and in turn, the world by protecting the Jewel within ye. I hated having to watch ye grow up in near isolation, so like my sister, but it is the way the Shintō Order wants things."

"Shintō Order?" I pried. I had never heard of such a thing before.

"The High Temple is backed by a group of priests known at the Shintō Order," Kaede explained. "Really, they're just a bunch of glorified priests, but they ensure that everything within our faith is running smoothly. For instance, when they heard of a child who had been born with the Shikon Jewel inside of them, they knew this child could tip the balance between the kami and nature as we know it. They are the ones that decided to bring ye here and raise you. They also oversee High Priest training, appointing priests to the temple, things of that nature."

"How come I have never heard of them before?"

"Ah, they also prefer to remain anonymous, much like the High Priests do. But, this is not what I wanted to discuss with ye. Ye have broken part of ye's duty. That cannot be overlooked."

"I'm not going to apologize for loving Inuyasha," I interjected. "Sometimes purity doesn't mean keeping your body away from a man's touch or experiencing a love that isn't spiritual. Sometimes purity means finding yourself in another person, whether it be a friend or otherwise, and loving them in a way that you've never loved anything else before."

The words just came spilling out of me, like a hurricane that wouldn't cease inside of me. Inuyasha was the one good thing I had in my whole life. I was not ungrateful for my life at the High Temple, Kaede had always treated me like a sort of daughter, but I was deprived of things that should be a human woman's basic right to feel. I couldn't lose him now or ever.

"My love for Inuyasha is the only thing keeping me pure at this point," I continued adamantly. "If you send him away, force us apart, I will learn the feeling of hate. And that's not very pure, is it?"

For the first time in many years, there was emotion on Kaede's face – a mix between shock and . . . Was that awe? It was hard to tell. I feared that I sounded disrespectful, but I was willing to take the risk for my mate. A part of me was also, admittedly, tired of all the damn _secrets_. They were beginning to make my head spin!

"I suppose . . ." she pondered slowly, "that in light of the attack on our home that nothing shall be done about ye and the assassin for now. I watched my sister lose the man she loved, the same man, and I watched as it killed her. I do not want the same thing to happen to ye. Inuyasha is not the only one who has come to care for ye."

My eyes widened in surprised. This woman, the High Priest, who was usually so closed off and private, cared for me?

I was unable to contain myself; I was overcome with emotion. Lurching forward, I wrapped my arms around my adopted parent's wide frame. I felt Kaede's arms wrap around me, as well, after her initial shock wore off. A few tears escaped from my eyes, trickling onto the old woman's kimono. I was not usually one to succumb to crying, but after the past month, I allowed myself a few moment to weep as I had with Inuyasha the night before.

A thought occurred me suddenly and I pulled away from her, wiping my eyes with my sleeves.

"Kaede, there is one more thing I wish to speak to you about."

"Aye?" she inquired, a curious tone to her voice.

"Yesterday, you briefly mentioned that you had to pass tests to become the High Priest. What tests were those exactly?"

"Well, ye start off at basic healing, and ye work ye's way up from there. The tests get harder as you go. Creating large barriers, infusing ye's power with objects, and so on. The Shintō Order decides ye's last test. Ye never know what it is until they give it to ye."

"What was your final test?"

"I had to eradicate an old witch, Urasue, that was living up in the mountains. She dealt in black magic, raising people from the dead and molding them out of clay. This was an unorthodox practice that needed to end. And so, this was my task."

I sat silent for a few moment, taking in the information I had learned so far.

"Can anyone complete the training?"

"Aye, anyone is eligible, but only a select few can complete the training before they can even dream of taking on the tests. And most of those who make it to the tests are unable to finish. It's how we know who could be next in line for being High Priest."

"What if I wanted to complete the training?" I asked, nervously chewing on my bottom lip.

"That would not be allowed," Kaede replied. "As ye have the Shikon Jewel inside of ye, ye would have an unfair advantage-"

"But what if it wasn't inside of me anymore?"

Before she could answer, I dug inside the pocket of my priestess kimono and pulled out the pink orb, the object casting a coral glow against the skin of my palm.

Kaede gasped, "Kagome, this . . . How?"

"I was attacked on the way to the Kyōdai ai by a centipede demon," I explained. "No one else knows about this except for you and Inuyasha. I felt it dangerous to tell anyone else."

The elderly woman nodded. "Aye, child, that was for the best. If demons or even humans, which are sometimes worse, found out the Jewel was so exposed, we would have more problems than even we would know how to handle."

"I thought so. This is why I also want to complete the training, at the very least. I have to be able to protect it now more than ever. I have to learn how to use my powers without relying on the Jewel. I did notice it was harder for me to call on them when after it left my body. Please, Kaede, will you let me?" I begged. Ironically, I was already on my knees.

"I . . . will discuss it with the Shintō Order. That is all I can promise. But ye must realize that the training often takes months or years to complete. Do ye understand?"

I nodded frantically. "Yes, I understand. Thank you so much!"

Kaede let out a heavy sigh. I helped her rise to her feet after I noticed her knees were giving her trouble.

"We must get back to ye's half-demon. I can see how he gets anxious when ye are apart for too long."

"That he does," I laughed.

At the mention of my half-demon, a smile spread across my face. _That's right,_ I mused cheerfully, _I promised him some alone time, and I just so happen to need a bath._

I was now more eager to reach Inuyasha than ever.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Just for further disclaimer purposes, I don't know if any High Priests or Shinto Orders existed in the Feudal Era, or at any point in Japanese history. I'm just using these things as plot devices. Don't think I went and researched all of that because, hey, this is fantasy, right?

Remember, please drop a review! I REALLY would like to reach 100 reviews by the time this fanfic is finished. Do you think we can do it?! (*Bob the Builder theme song plays in the background*)


	20. Dreams

First of all . . . oh my god, I am so sorry this took so long. You all deserve an explanation, assuming I still have any readers out there. So basically, I started a new job, I was visiting family, and doing so many other things that I basically have not gotten a day off in a while nor have I had the energy to sit down and write. So there's the long story short. Also, I went through this period where I totally started to hate my writing and felt it wasn't good enough anymore. Because I'm a perfectionist and I'm never happy with what I publish. But then I thought, _"Hey, if the author of Fifty Shades of Grey can get published, then there is no way in hell that I'm a worse writer than her!"_ True story.

 **Side Note** : This chapter is shorter than pretty much all of the other chapters in this story, but that's because I just wanted to put something up for you guys and this chapter ended up to be pretty good as is. So I apologize for the hella long absence and the hella short chapter. I feel bad and I'm awful. Please feel free to lecture me in a review.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own _InuYasha_ nor the videogame, _Assassin's Creed_. Ain't that a bitch.

* * *

It wasn't hard to find Inuyasha. He was sitting in the village, looking quite perturbed as young children climbed all over him and tugged on his ears. They cooed over him and I laughed as one little girl called him "Mr. Dog Man". His head had shot up when he heard me call his name, and it took no more than two words before he shot up and bounded over to me, quickly dismantling the small children carefully. I couldn't stop my eyes from lighting up as I watched him take special care to not hurt them. It made me imagine a future where Inuyasha and I had started a family of our own . . .

 _An impossible future_. I shot the daydream down quickly.

As there were people in earshot, I told Inuyasha to join me in the forest so I could collect herbs. Technically, he was still my bodyguard, so it was a believable alibi that anyone could believe. It also allowed us the privacy for Inuyasha to take me so far into the forest that no one could find us. It looked like he was determined to get his alone time sooner rather than later.

And that's how we ended up at a hot spring, possibly miles away from the village, with my naked body resting against Inuyasha's. We had both washed off our travel grime – I also had blood on me from treating wounds, so I took the prize for being especially gross – and now we were simply enjoying being in each other's company. It made us both feel so at ease and calm, like it was the only medicine we needed to feel like all was normal and right in the world. My fingers were tracing nonsensical patterns on the muscles on his forearms, his arms were wrapped around me.

I had a thought swirling around in my head that I needed to tell Inuyasha, and it was right on the tip of my tongue, but I was afraid that it would ruin the moment. It had been so long since we enjoyed such quiet. But I also knew that we really had no time to spare anymore, not with the possibility of this Naraku coming after us.

"Inuyasha . . .?" I ventured quietly.

He hummed back in response.

"I spoke to Kaede last night and this morning. I discovered some important information that could benefit us."

"I know of something that could definitely benefit us right now," the half-demon rumbled darkly, the vibrations from his chest sliding over my skin. I had to suppress the shiver.

I smacked his arm playfully. "Stop playing Casanova for five seconds and listen to me!"

"Fine, fine," he chuckled. "What did you find out?"

So I launched into explaining about how High Priests are trained and the Shintō Order. He listened quietly the whole time, his breath whispering over my ear. He wasn't even trying to seduce me, but that little action alone was distracting me enough.

 _I am truly pathetic_ , I snickered.

When I finished, Inuyasha asked, "So, how exactly is the training thing and Shintō Order relevant to us?"

"Well, I was thinking . . . If I was able to complete the training, learn how to use my powers, I can protect the Jewel even easier from anyone who tries to take it! If this Narau is after the Jewel, then I have to be able to defend it and myself. I-"

"Absolutely fucking not," Inuyasha growled, interrupting me.

If I had fur, it would be bristling in annoyance. "I wasn't asking for your permission, you-"

He spun me around in his lap, effectively interrupting me _again_ , forcing me to face him. I glared back at him, forcing myself to not back down. Did he really think he could order me around? I was his mate, not his maid!

" _I_ am here to protect _you_ ," he admonished, those golden eyes tinting red at my defiance. "I'm teaching you how to use the bow only because I don't want another Mistress Centipede to happen, not that I will _ever_ let something like that happen again. And didn't you say that the training itself could be dangerous, as well as the tests they give you? That in and of itself is dangerous!"

"I'm not going to be taking the test to become a High Priest! I am have no interest in that. I just want to finally be able to use my powers to their full extent! I have power, Inuyasha, I can feel it. Kaede even said she would talk to the Order about it!"

"I said no!"

"And _I said_ ," It was my turn to growl, "that I wasn't asking for your permission!"

We sat there glaring at each other, neither of us budging in our resolve. I was absolutely pissed that Inuyasha was trying to act like he could dictate my decisions all of a sudden but I also understood why he was doing it: he was scared. He had just found out everything he thought he knew about the woman he loved was wrong, and the man that killed her is the same one that attacked Sango's village and was after the Jewel. That meant, in consequence of me being the protector of said celestial orb, he was after me, too.

I couldn't stay mad when I understood where he was coming from. (Though, let's be honest, did I ever stay mad at Inuyasha?) I sighed and took his face in my hands, soothingly rubbing his cheekbones with my thumbs. His glare softened; it seemed he couldn't stay mad at me, either.

"Inuyasha," I said his name softly, enunciating every syllable, "I understand you're scared. Everyone is. Something is coming, something dark, and this force will plunge our country into darkness and war. I can't let you fight it alone. Not for my sake."

"The Kyōdai ai will help me fight. That's our job. We protect citizens from evil forces. It's what I was trained for."

"I know that. And just like I won't ask you to stop fighting, you can't ask me to not learn how to fight. I am the protector of the Jewel. I was born with this duty and I have to deal with it. My whole life I have been told what to do. This is me making my own decision. I won't ask for your permission but I will ask for your support."

Inuyasha stared up at me for a moment. I could see that he was weighing the options in his mind, assessing how he was going to respond. I had picked up on how to read my mate's expressions and ticks so I can better understand him; even without having a full mate bond, we were still able to read each other with ease.

The man who was under me parted his lip slowly.

"I will always support you, Kagome," he answered softly. He whispered my name as if it was the most delicate thing in the world. His hands had come to rest on the back of my thighs as my legs were positioned on either side of his hips.

"Thank you," I sighed, my eyes drifting to a close. "And the Order could still say no to me training, anyway. Kaede still has to speak with them. But if they say yes, I'm going through with it."

Inuyasha swallowed hard. "I understand. I don't like it one damn bit, but I understand."

I nodded then opened my eyes and sighed. "We have to get back. We've been gone for far too long."

"I'm not ready to go back."

Those golden eyes flickered up to burn into mine as his large, rough hands came to slide up and in-between my legs, forcing them apart.

"What are you doing?" I asked, forcing back a smile.

"Checking my mate's body for any wounds," Inuyasha replied, his teeth worrying my bottom lip.

"But I haven't done anything to earn wounds lately," I teased.

"You never know, mate," he retorted.

Before I could say anything in response, Inuyasha swooped down to capture a nipple with his lips. A gasp escaped me from the sudden, warm contact on my person. I threw my head back and lost myself to the ecstasy, quietly thanking the kamis for allowing me these stolen moments.

 **xXx**

Kagome had picked herbs on the way back to the village to avoid suspicion. We walked back in silence, our hands brushing each other but not quite touching. To be honest, I was beginning to feel a little juvenile having to sneak around with my own mate, but I understood the risk if people found out about our relationship. But I was thankful for the time I got to spend with Kagome; I was lucky to have found her in this lifetime at all.

"Priestess!" A shout resounded when Kagome and I had just reached the village.

My ears pricked towards the sound, my eyes immediately following. Running towards us was that little brown-headed human whelp, Hoho. Hobo?

Whatever the hell it was.

I hadn't had much experience with other inhabitants from the High Temple but this one I had seen more than most. He accompanied us on the trip to Sango's village and often made pretty lame-ass excuses to be around Kagome. On top of that, he always had this _smell_ on him whenever he was around her. It's not hard to figure out what the smell was.

I had come to notice that most people from the temple tended to avoid Kagome. They would speak to her politely but they would not be around her for more than a few minutes at a time if they could help it. While I'm positive the common priests and priestess at the temple had no knowledge that she was the one that possessed the Jewel, to them, something was off about Kagome. My mate had never said anything to me about it, but I knew that she knew why people avoided her: They were afraid. They knew she was special, and therefore jealousy and fear of what they didn't know caused them to avoid her. Hojo was the only one who actively tried (and definitely wanted) to be around the priestess.

For the first time in my life, I empathized with someone. People avoided me my whole life for being a half-demon, treated me like that was my fault, and people viewed Kagome the same way. I had found relative acceptance in the Kyōdai ai, but there were still those that detested half-demons.

"Hojo, hello," Kagome called back. "What can I do for you?"

"Um, I . . ." the human blushed, "I was wondering if I could speak to you in private?"

"Over my dead body, whelp," I barked. Fucking kami, that scent coming off of him was driving my nose _nuts_. No way was this fucker being around Kagome alone!

"O-oh, I-I . . ." Hojo stammered, a crimson blush spreading across his cheeks.

Kagome shot me a look that was meant to silence me but just made me roll my eyes.

"What would you like to speak to me about, Hojo?"

"Well, it's hard to explain . . ." He shot me a wary look.

The young woman's blue eyes flickered between us for a moment. "Perhaps it is best we speak in private. Inuyasha, wait here, please."

Though Kagome said one thing, her eyes told me another: _Stay close and listen_.

 _As if I wasn't going to do that anyway._

I watched as the two humans walked towards the tree line where they would be out of ear shot. Once I heard them stop moving, I moved so quickly that human eyes would be unable to see me and perched myself on a tree branch a few feet above them. With their weak human sense, they wouldn't even know I was there.

"-talk to me about, Hojo?"

"I . . . It's just . . ."

Silence descended over them. This particular human had never been particularly eloquent with words but something definitely seemed to be up with him today. It made me . . . nervous.

"It was me."

Kagome said nothing for a few moments.

"What do you mean? What was you?" she asked, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

"That day you and that demon-"

"Inuyasha."

"I-Inuyasha. In the purification room . . ."

" . . . You saw."

Hojo nodded and admitted sheepishly, "The High Priest told me to spy on you. I knew it wasn't right but I had to! I had never been asked something from the High Priest before, had never even met them, so I thought I was doing something important. I'm so sorry, Priestess!"

"Did you tell?" Kagome's voice was cold, monotone. I sensed no anger or anything from her.

"Yes. The High Priest wanted me to report to them your actions. I didn't know why. Quite frankly, I didn't notice anything odd until that day with . . . with Inuyasha."

There was once again silence. The only sound being made was Hojo's shuffling feet. It took all I had in me to no go down and tear his appendages off, along with a few other parts of him.

"Thank you for telling me, Hojo. I hope your soul has been cleansed. I must ask you: Have you told anyone about you meeting the High Priest?"

He shook his head, his floppy bangs falling in his face. "No! They swore me to secrecy."

"When did you start watching me?"

"About a month after Inuyasha arrived, I think.

"Are you still spying on me?"

"No. After the High Temple was attacked, the High Priest disappeared, and you had still not returned, so I had no one to report to. But I have not spied since you returned. I don't want to."

A small smile graced her face as Kagome placed a pale hand on Hojo's shoulder.

"I hope your soul feels lighter now that you have confessed, and I am sure the kamis will forgive this small grievance. Thank you once again, Hojo. I won't share this with anyone."

Without leaving room for a word, Kagome turned on her heel and marched away the stunned male. I jumped a few tree lengths away from Hojo's location so I could drop down next to my mate, my arms folding inside of my haori.

"I should kill him," I stated blatantly. "I can make it quick."

"I'm not angry at Hojo," Kagome explained, "I'm angry at the fact that Kaede asked him to spy on me in the first place. I don't get it. What was her angle? It's not like she could know we would end up being mates! Could she?"

"How could she know that we would be mates when I didn't even know that coming here? Unless she figured it out after I arrived. Why are we even discussing this? I should just kill them both!"

'No, Inuyasha! We don't know the whole story and Kaede might still have information we need about Naraku. I don't think we should make any moves until we no more or have no choice. Maybe she was doing it as a safety thing?"

 _Doubtful_. "But what if she tries something else?"

"Then she forces our hand and we deal with it accordingly."

I scoffed. "Sometimes, I really hate you being so damn diplomatic. I'm itching for good fight."

Kagome laughed. "Hojo wouldn't be much of a fight for you."

"But punching him in the face would feel pretty fucking good right about now," I mumbled.

She laughed again then shook her head. "Kaede knows about us anyway and it doesn't look like we'll be punished as of right now. So we won't worry about it at the moment."

I scoffed again but didn't bother saying anything. Kagome was right, as per usual, but that didn't change the fact I now had energy I needed to burn.

 _Hey, maybe I can get Kagome to sneak away again tonight_.

 **xXx**

 **Images flashed before me, so quickly that they appeared almost blurry.**

" **Mama!" a young boy cried out, running across what seemed to be a courtyard into a garden.**

 _ **Is it a castle?**_ **The thought echoed in my subconscious thought.**

 **The young child ran into what seemed to be his mother's arm, thought I couldn't make out her countenance. I concentrated hard as I tried conjure up her face but found I was unable to. I only saw long, dark hair and a pink color on the woman. The only thing I felt was confusion and something akin to sadness, loneliness. The sadness caused me to become even more confused.**

 _ **Is this a . . . dream?**_

" **Mama," the boy addressed as he stood in front of his mother. "What's a half-breed?"**

I woke with a start, my heart pounding in my ears like a war drum. Sweat drenched my brow. As I huffed out breath, I looked over to the form lying just a few feet from me. Kagome was fast asleep, her chest rising and falling as an arm was flung across her body and her covers were half-way off her body. I noticed that the priestess often ended up without her sheets by the time she woke up.

Deciding I needed some fresh air, I rose from my futon, covered Kagome's body once more, and slunk outside. The air was fresh here in the countryside; the Kyōdai ai was housed in the middle of a large trade city so there were many smells and noises to cloud the air.

 _What the actual fuck was that_? I growled as I aggressively rubbed the tiredness out of my eyes. It wasn't even dawn yet. The moon was still high in the sky, reminding me that I should still be sound asleep. But this wasn't the first night I had strange dreams. If I had to pin it down, my first one was two nights ago, where I was being chased by demons, after Kaede told me that my memories has been altered. There was no way that was just coincidence.

"I see ye are having trouble sleeping as well," an old voice croaked behind me.

I turned and saw Kaede shuffling up next to me. On instinct, my hair wanted to bristle from the knowledge that she wanted to spy on Kagome for unknown reasons, but I held back. Kagome had said to do nothing until we had more knowledge and I begrudgingly heeded her request.

"What are you up for?" I asked gruffly.

"Ever since I lost my eye, I often have trouble sleeping," the old hag shared.

"How'd you lose it?"

"When I was a child, I was helping Kikyo gather herbs, and demons attacked us. When one came up behind me, my elder sister had no choice but to fire, and I was caught in the blast from her purification arrow. My eye was unable to be saved."

I didn't give an answer because I didn't quite know how to respond. Hearing about Kikyo felt weird now. Wrong. It seemed everything I know about her wasn't right. Is the woman I remember even the same that I fell in love with? I wasn't sure.

"Tell me, Inuyasha, are ye having dreams?" Kaede inquired.

I shrugged nonchalantly. "Everyone has dreams."

"Yes, but not the kind of dreams ye are probably having."

"What is that supposed to mean? How do you know what dreams I'm having?"

"Because they are not dreams. They are memories."

 _Memories?_ My memories? Is that what these dreams were?

Kaede must have saw the confusion on my face, because she answered, "I told ye that ye memories have been altered by Kikyo. She wanted ye to remember ye's life differently so that ye would not suffer like ye used to. Ye's repressed memories are leaking through ye's subconscious and that is why ye are having these dreams. I hate to unravel my sister's gift to ye but I fear I had no choice."

"A gift?" I snorted. "That ain't no fucking gift! She made me remember lies. I would rather have remembered things the way they were."

"Despite ye's anger, Inuyasha, Kikyo truly loved ye. She was doing what she thought was best for ye. The betrayal she faced made her desperate to make things right in the only why she knew how in her dying moments."

"Keh," I huffed, turning on my heel to head back towards the hut. "How do I even know we loved each other at all? How do I know that's not a lie, too? Seems I'm just taking your word for it."

"There is a way to recover ye's memories," Kaede called out to me.

I stopped in my tracks, my ear twitching in curiosity. "What are you talking about, old hag?" I snapped.

"We can recover ye's memories," she repeated, "but we will need Kagome."

* * *

Dun, dun, dun! Woohoo, what a chapter! I actually really enjoyed writing this one because so much stuff is coming togetherrrr. Shady shit in going on, y'all. I love shady shit. So, everyone, I would love to say that the next chapter will be up soon, but it probably won't. I also have to read the next chapter for _Projectile_ and I'll be going back to school in two weeks. But please believe I'll try my best! Honestly, I wish fanfiction had like a forum or message board where I could update my readers to assure them I'm not abandoning or that I haven't died (or that I have died).

As always, **_read and review!_** Reviews get me to write faster, I promise. It's like magic. So do it!


	21. Crossroads

WOW, I thought I was never going to get this up. Seriously. I was almost done with this story. But you guys, my lovely followers, convinced me to write another chapter. Honestly, this isn't the best writing of my life, but this is just one of the chapters where a lot of shit is getting started.

Anyway, I'm tired and don't have much to say as of right now. Enjoy reading and leave a review of your thoughts!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own I _nuYasha_ or _Assassin's Creed_.

* * *

"What the _fuck_ are you talking about?" I snapped again, beginning to feel like a broken record. We didn't need Kagome for anything; I wanted her to stay as far the fuck away as possible from this crazy shit. And now this old hag wanted to rope her into it? I didn't fucking think so.

"Why do ye sound so surprised?" Kaede inquired with a smile. "Kagome is Kikyo's reincarnation, after all. She has the ability to reverse my sister's spell."

"Kagome isn't going near this, you understand?"

"Kagome isn't going near what?"

My mate's voice came from behind me. _Goddammit,_ I stiffened instantly and slowly turned to face her. Kagome was gazing at me with a curious but tired twinkle in her eye and a teasing smile. She knew something was up; she could probably read it all over my face.

"I-I didn't mean to wake you," I stammered nervously.

"You didn't," Kagome said simply. "Now, what were you talking about?"

Before I could utter a word in edge-wise, Kaede launched into explaining about my dreams and how they were really repressed memories that Kikyo had sealed away. The only way to unlock said memories was to use Kagome's spiritual powers. Her powers were the only ones powerful enough to counteract Kikyo's spiritual energy. Kagome listened intently, her eyebrows pinched together and her arms crossed the way she did when she was concentrating hard about something. I, however, just wanted to shrink into the background. My ears flattened to my skull and a glare set on my face; I didn't want Kagome to hear any of this.

"Well, of course I'll help!" Kagome announced after Kaede finished explaining. "If I'm the only one who can help Inuyasha recover his memories, then I have to do it, right?"

Turning towards me, big blue eyes clashed with mine, and I couldn't stop the shiver that shot down my spine from that look. It was intense, determined, and I knew right then that I wouldn't be able to change my stubborn mate's mind.

"That is . . . if you want your memories recovered?" Kagome asked sheepishly, her voice lower than before.

Of course, on the surface she was asking my permission, but below that she was really asking me if I wanted my memories back in the first place.

And did I? Did I want to remember my life as it really happened, remember how things ended between Kikyo and I as they really had? If she was dead, then I had to assume they didn't end well - especially if she was willing to alter my memories. What would it change if I did know? Would it change things between Kagome and I? There were too many questions and not enough answers.

"I'll . . . think about it," I answered.

"Of course," Kaede said. "I must speak to the High Council first before we can begin Kagome's training, and doing such tasks such as a spell reversal comes with extensive training. Ye will have plenty of time to think, Inuyasha."

I nodded in understanding. Part of me was curious about what I couldn't remember, and if I did decide to recover my memories, who better to dig around in my head than my mate? Whatever was inside my head, Kagome would help me get through it. Though I never would say it out loud, I had come to depend on her more than she ever needed to depend on me. She had become my rock to keep me stable. I knew how to handle all things physical - cuts, bruises, and the like. It was the emotional part where I lacked strength, and that is why I needed my mate with me. Kagome had strength where I lacked and I had the feeling I would need her now more than ever.

 **xXx**

The weeks of anticipation while waiting for the High Council to decide my fate was taxing on my mind. I must admit that I thought about little else during that time. It follows me everywhere I went, my own personal plague. As I picked herbs, I thought about Kaede, how she was really the High Priest, how Inuyasha knew her without really knowing her. As I healed wounds, I thought of Inuyasha's lost memories and his lost love, who he really didn't know at all. He wasn't offering to talk about any of it - not about his warped memories, or Kikyo, or even my possible training. Though I knew I should be encouraging him to talk about how he felt more, I couldn't bring myself to talk, either. I didn't want to. Of course, I wanted to help Inuyasha, but I was also afraid that his feelings would change about me once he did.

I doubted I could make it through that.

Meditating was the only thing that kept me from thinking myself in circles. I had never upheld the practice before but Kaede suggested it. She said it would help strengthen my resolve, center my mind for training. So, every day, I started sitting by the river by myself. I would listen to the sound of the water softly flowing over rocks and sediment, to the sound of the wind rustling the leaves of the trees, and my own heartbeat. As much as I didn't want to admit, I enjoyed the time alone. Of course, I loved spending time with my mate, too. Inuyasha never minded silences, and whenever he accompanied me to pick herbs or some other duty I had to fulfill, we would always at one point lapse into a peaceful silence. We simply enjoyed each other's company.

However, one must always take time for themselves. Practicing my meditation was a good excuse for self-care (something I admittedly had never been good at). I was always expected to tend to other's needs before my own and therefore never spared a thought for myself. Though I suspect that if I had never met Inuyasha, I would have never been able to meditate at all. After all, wasn't he the one who always told me to take care of myself?

The weeks of waiting paid off. About a month after Kaede departed to stand before the High Council to vouch for my training, she returned. Inuyasha came to the river to notify me. As he approached, I felt his aura spike against mine before he even uttered a word.

"Yo. Sorry to interrupt . . ." he hesitated.

I looked up at my mate, a soft smile gracing my features when my eyes landed on his calm countenance.

"No need for apologies, mate. What is it?"

"The hag's back," he answered simply.

The "hag" was of course Kaede. Inuyasha rarely used her actual name, despite my reprimands, and instead opted to use names such as, "old wench", "bag of bones", or sometimes "dried up crone".

He always did have a way with words.

I sucked in a sharp breath. While she had been gone a full month, I still wasn't ready for an answer.

"I see. Well, she'll probably want to see us, then."

I unfolded my hands from my lap and rose from the ground. Inuyasha offered me his hand and I gladly took it. Even though Kaede new about our relationship, we still kept our public displays of affection to a minimum. Mostly because I wanted to keep my respect as a priestess but also because I could barely hold hands with Inuyasha without blushing. It's depressing how much he still got to me.

When we arrived back in the village, a crowd of villagers were surrounding her wagon. They had all come to respect and love her. I hoped that one day I could become a beacon of hope like her.

"Lady Kaede!"

"Priestess Kaede has returned!" the villagers cheered as Kaede descended from the wagon. She waded through the crowd with a gentle smile, nodding at them in greeting.

As we watched, Inuyasha said, "You're nervous. You're heartbeat is pounding against my ear drums."

"I-I'm sorry . . . I'm trying to stay calm. I guess that meditation hasn't been helping as well as I thought."

The half-demon chuckled in amusement.

"Inuyasha, what if it's . . ."

"A yes?"

I nodded.

Inuyasha sighed. "We'll deal with the changes as they come, mate. Just focus on you right now."

 _How can I focus on me,_ I thought darkly, _when I'm too worried about you?_

He placed a quick kiss on the top of my head, for we had to put distance between us as soon as Keade's eye landed on us. I saw her nod and speak to the villagers surrounding her, then quickly began to make her way towards us.

"Kagome, Inuyasha," she greeted. "It is good to see ye again."

"You as well, Kaede," I bowed deeply, acknowledging my respect. I nudged Inuyasha to do the same but he simply grunted.

Her smile widened slightly, the laugh lines around her mouth deepening just so. Kaede was silent for a few moments and I was beginning to wonder if this was it. She didn't want to tell me because they said no.

"I would like some tea after traveling all day," she commented. "Perhaps some herbs mixed in for my aching joints. Please, join me."

Without another word, the elder turned on her heel and headed towards the hut that she and I had been occupying. I would say Inuyasha resided there as well if he had not chosen to sleep in a tree instead. While I missed not sleeping next to my mate, he refused to sleep in the same space as Kaede.

I looked up at Inuyasha questioningly but he just shrugged and moved to follow her. I did the same.

Once inside the hut, Kaede asked Inuyasha to fetch a pot of water for her to boil water and he obliged. As Inuyasha and I watched her mix the herbs and boil the water, no one said a word. Nothing was spoken until the tea was prepared.

"Did I ever tell ye," Kaede began, "that this is the village in which I grew up?"

This information took me by surprise. "No, you didn't. I always wondered how it was that you knew the villagers so well, but I supposed that they trusted you because you were a priestess."

"Oh, yes," she affirmed. "Most the of the people I knew growing up are long passed, or are very old, or knew my sister from when she looked after this village. The people here, of course, do not know that I am the High Priest. But this village will always hold a special place in my heart. That is why I brought everyone from the temple here for safety."

"You're not scared that the person who attacked the temple will find you here?" Inuyasha inquired.

Kaede shook her head. "No. No one knows my true identity, aside from ye two. It would be impossible for someone to trace us back here."

"I told ye before that my elder sister, Kikyo, was no longer eligible to become High Priest due to her guardianship of the Shikon Jewel. Well, that is not completely true. In fact, the Shinto Order was willing to make an exception for Kikyo because of her magnificent powers. They were willing to let her be High Priest and protect the Jewel. She refused every time they offered. The only thing that had officially put me in contention for the position was her death. It was a decision I didn't take lightly. And neither should ye, Kagome."

"Of course, Kaede. If I am able to train-"

"Be mindful of what ye could lose," she interrupted. "If ye's training goes well, and ye are able to control ye's immense power, then one day ye could most likely become High Priest."

I blinked, her words slowly sinking into my brain. "'If it goes well' . . .?"

"They said yes?" Inuyasha broke in anxiously.

Kaede nodded, a smile on her face. "They did. They are wary about the Shikon Jewel residing in ye's body, but I told them that you have kept it subdued all these years. So they granted your request. Congratulations, Kagome."

"Kami . . . I-I mean, thank you!" I quickly bowed, biding so far my forehead touched the wooden floor. I could almost smell the dirt buried underneath. I felt Inuyasha's comforting hand on my lower back; he probably heard my erratic heartbeat.

Kaede chuckled in amusement. "Rest well tonight, Kagome. Ye will begin your training tomorrow at first light."

 **xXx**

Kagome's training was rigorous. She woke up every morning at dawn and would train with Kaede until the afternoon, where she was able to eat. We would sit by the river while she ate and Kagome would tell me what her training entailed. Little did she know I spent the day watching her train, high above in the trees so she wouldn't catch sight of me. I never said a word about it, for she enjoyed telling me about her trials far too much. When her training was too much for her, she would meditate instead of talking, claiming it helped reset her mind.

After the break, she went back to training until sunset. This had come to be my favorite part of the day. Kagome was always sweaty, and usually would take off her outer priestess kimono, only to be left in a kosode. Her dark locks would be pinned up, leaving tendrils to flow down her neck and around her face. The kosode would slowly come apart as she moved and the sweat would make parts of it transparent and stick to her skin.

The first few days of this, I was able to resist, was able to ignore the curves of her breasts and hips. However, about a week after her training started, on a day that Kaede was teaching her how to raise barriers, she looked right up at me. I was sitting in the tree I usually occupied while observing her, arms folded and legs crossed. It took me by surprise, that knowing gaze of hers, and it made my ears stick straight up. There was a tug on the corner of her lips - I could see it even though I was 50 feet away - and it suddenly occurred to me that my mate how known all along that I was watching her.

 _That little minx!_ , I thought in surprise. _Has she gotten to know me that well or am I just getting predictable?_ I figured that while she was training she would be expending too much energy to notice my aura. Apparently, I was wrong.

That look only lasted a few seconds, for she went back to concentrating on her barrier. It was small but it was a start. I stared down at her in confusion, trying to figure out how she had noticed me, and then I realized: I could see straight down her kosode.

"Fucking hell," I muttered to myself, pulling my legs in tighter. Was she doing this shit on _purpose_?

I took a nap for the next few hours, if nothing else but to get the image of my mate out of my head. I should have known better because Kagome always had a one-way ticket into my mind. From the moment I met her, I was never able to get her out of it, and she definitely was not coming out of it anytime soon. Especially if my dreams were any indication . . .

When I awoke, Kagome was alone in the clearing, stretching her arms over her head. She did a few more stretches before looking up in my direction once more. This look also didn't last long. Kagome spun on her heel and started matching into the treelike. I immediately started following but remained in the trees. Soon, the smell of salt hit my nose and I realized where she had lead me: the hot spring.

The memories that immediately started flooding my brain of the _activities_ we had engaged in in this very spring nearly made me fall out of the tree.

Though Kagome taking off her garment effectively made me do just that.

I managed to land on my feet. As I stared at her, only one questions came to mind: "How did you know?"

"I didn't at first," Kagome smiled. "I began to sense your aura while multitasking a couple days ago. I thought it was cute."

I snorted at the word _cute_. Kagome loved describing anything I did that way.

"You didn't say anything about it," I stated, pointing out the obvious. I began to take steps towards her.

"It was more fun that way," she said with a teasing tilt to her voice. "I was wondering how long it would take _you_ to notice."

"Keh," I blushed as I brought a hand up to press against her cheek. Kagome's smile widened and leaned into my touch.

I was so overcome with emotion while gazing at my beautiful mate. I held so much respect for her; she was so strong, kind, and caring. Kagome turned her back on no one, even when she should be taking care of herself. The Kyodai ai operated on the basis of brotherhood, but even so I always remained distant. There were those within the order that still didn't trust me because of my half-demon blood. Very few people considered themselves my friends, though I didn't come to use that word until recently. Kagome had taught me how to smile, how to trust and rely on people. I could never repay her for that.

"I love you," I blurted out, unable to hold back the words. They got easier to say every time I used them.

"Oh, Inuyasha," Kagome sighed, bringing her arms to loop around my neck, "I love you, too."

Our lips connected, flooding my body with warm sensations that made every nerve ending on my body sensitive. Kagome's breasts were pressed against my chest, effectively reminding me of the spring behind us. I started backing her towards the water, making her squeal in surprise as her feet became wet, but our lips never parted.

And so began a new after-training ritual for us.

 **xXx**

We received unexpected visitors not long after Kagome's training started. I was watching over her, as usual, when two familiar scents hit my nose. It had been so long since I smelled them, I almost didn't recognize who they belonged to. With one last glance at Kagome, I shot out of the tree and dashed through the forest, my mind whirring the whole time. Had Myoga had sent them? Were they here to bring me back to the Kyodai ai? Maybe I was being reassigned. And if I was? Would I refuse? Could I even risk being apart from Kagome during the time she most needed protection? I didn't trust the old hag to protect her properly.

"Shit," I ground out under my teeth.

I had come to the outskirts of the village where worn grass had come to form a path. A couple yards down that path were two figures walking towards me. Despite my anxiety about what their presence could mean, a smile tugged at the corner of my lips at the sight of familiar faces.

"Miroku, Sango," I said, crossing my arms and letting the smile drop to feign nonchalance. "Waddya doing here?"

Miroku had the same goofy smile on his face that he always did. I sometimes wondered if that lech ever had a car tint he world that didn't involve chasing ass. Sango, on the other hand, wore a stern look on her face, her mouth set in a tight line and her brown eyes serious. Maybe they were here to bring me back, after all.

"Inuyasha, my old friend," Miroku greeted cheerfully. "It's wonderful to see you again."

"Don't act like you're here for a social call," I retorted. "What's going on?"

"Well," Miroku shuffled his feet nervously, "we're here to talk to you . . ."

"It's about Kagome," Sango finally spoke up. "We're here to warn you."


End file.
